2025 has been a difficult year for Disney in theaters. Several of their big movies haven’t performed well, and Tron: Ares is a particularly significant disappointment. Despite a large production budget of $220 million and total costs reaching nearly $348 million with marketing, the sci-fi sequel didn’t attract a wide audience. Experts now estimate that Disney will lose around $132.7 million on the film, even after considering revenue from home viewing and television (according to Deadline).
Several recent films haven’t performed well at the box office. In addition to Tron, the live-action Snow White and Pixar’s Elio both fell short of financial goals. Snow White faced issues with lengthy production delays and public controversy before its release, earning only $205.7 million worldwide despite costing $270 million to make. This makes it one of the studio’s biggest financial failures for a live-action remake.
Pixar’s Elio, a big-budget film, didn’t perform well in theaters, earning around $154 million with a $150 million production cost. This suggests that even Pixar’s strong reputation isn’t enough to guarantee success without relying on sequels or well-known franchises. Given the recent failures of several 2025 releases, Disney is now counting on its 2026 films – which already have a built-in audience – to turn things around financially.
Disney’s 2026 Lineup Carries the Studio’s Biggest Box Office Expectations
The Devil Wears Prada 2
Release Date: May 1, 2026
Even though 20th Century Studios made The Devil Wears Prada 2, it’s actually a Disney project and fans are really excited about it. It could be a huge success!
The highly anticipated follow-up to the 2006 hit comedy-drama will bring back the original stars, including Meryl Streep as the demanding Miranda Priestly, Anne Hathaway as Andy Sachs, Emily Blunt as the successful Emily Charlton, and Stanley Tucci as Nigel.
The movie will center around Miranda as she tries to survive in the shrinking world of newspapers, which puts her in competition with Emily within a new company. Bringing back a popular and well-loved story with its original stars, the film aims to be a stylish and feel-good experience, especially for women. It’s designed to offer something different from the big-budget superhero and animated movies expected in 2026.
The Mandalorian and Grogu
Release Date: May 22, 2026
Okay, so after a five-year wait, we finally have a new Star Wars movie on the big screen! This one brings us the story of Din Djarin and Grogu – you probably know them from the hit Disney+ show. Honestly, it feels like Disney is really doubling down on this story, taking what worked incredibly well on streaming and turning it into a full-blown cinematic experience. It’s a big move for the franchise, and a lot is riding on it.
Directed by Jon Favreau, who also created the original series, this film continues the exciting space Western story fans have come to love. It’s a fresh start for the Star Wars universe, hoping to reignite interest and build momentum. Releasing it in late spring shows how confident the studio is that audiences will connect with the story and its characters, and it’s intended to be a key part of the future of the Star Wars galaxy.
Toy Story 5
Release Date: June 19, 2026
Pixar is revisiting its most popular and beloved franchise, likely because audiences seem to prefer familiar stories. After original films like Elio didn’t perform as well at the box office, Toy Story 5 is a strategic decision to guarantee a big summer blockbuster.
The popular ‘Toy Story’ series, featuring favorites like Woody and Buzz Lightyear, continues to connect with audiences of all ages – both kids and the adults who loved the first movies. In the latest installment, eight-year-old Bonnie gets a new tablet that makes her classic toys feel left out, creating the main storyline. With Pixar’s history of heartfelt stories and amazing animation, this new film is almost guaranteed to be a huge hit for Disney.
Moana
Release Date: July 10, 2026
Disney’s live-action remake of the popular 2016 animated film Moana is a key part of their upcoming movie plans. It’s set to be a major release during the important summer movie season and shows Disney’s continued effort to successfully turn its animated classics into live-action blockbusters.
The movie gets an instant advantage with Dwayne Johnson back as Maui, the popular demigod. His return also maintains the story’s connection to a key part fans loved in the first film – his magical tattoos, which have mysteriously disappeared.
The new version of the film, directed by Thomas Kail and co-written by the original author Jared Bush, aims to build on the beautiful Polynesian stories and impressive visuals of the first movie.
Avengers: Doomsday
Release Date: December 18, 2026
Following years of building a complex, interconnected story throughout the Multiverse Saga, Avengers: Doomsday is expected to be the next major blockbuster event for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Disney is counting on the film to deliver the large-scale, unforgettable experience audiences expect from a billion-dollar movie. Plus, there will be related content available on Disney+.
This movie is set to release during the important holiday season and aims to continue the success of past Avengers films, which have consistently been huge box office hits. The story will bring together a large group of both familiar and new heroes to combat a devastating threat posed by Doctor Doom.
After some recent Marvel movies received mixed reviews, Doomsday is a crucial film that needs to firmly re-establish Marvel Studios as the leader in superhero movies.
Why Disney’s 2026 Slate Offers Genuine Hope
The major difference between the unsuccessful films of 2025 and the much more promising lineup for 2026—which includes movies based on popular franchises like Avengers, Star Wars, Toy Story, and a big live-action musical remake—is that Disney quickly changed its strategy.
Disney is shifting its strategy, focusing more on its most popular and established franchises instead of taking big risks on new ones. Their plans for 2026 center around guaranteed hits like Avengers: Doomsday and The Mandalorian and Grogu. These franchises have a large and dedicated global fanbase who consistently spend money on tickets, making their success much more certain than projects like the TRON: Ares revival.
There’s real optimism that Disney’s finances will recover by 2026. The success of its upcoming projects isn’t just about making money; it’s crucial for Disney to regain its leading position in the entertainment industry and rebuild trust with investors.
Honestly, things haven’t been great lately with some of the recent releases, but I’m really counting on Marvel, Star Wars, and Pixar to turn things around. These franchises have built up so much trust with fans over the years, and that’s worth a lot. I fully expect their next movies to make way more money than what we’ve seen this year – they just have that kind of power and a loyal fanbase that always shows up.
Read More
- A Gucci Movie Without Lady Gaga?
- EUR KRW PREDICTION
- Nuremberg – Official Trailer
- Is Steam down? Loading too long? An error occurred? Valve has some issues with the code right now
- Kingdom Come Deliverance 2’s best side quest transformed the RPG into medieval LA Noire, and now I wish Henry could keep on solving crimes
- Prince William Very Cool and Normal Guy According to Eugene Levy
- Adin Ross claims Megan Thee Stallion’s team used mariachi band to deliver lawsuit
- BTC PREDICTION. BTC cryptocurrency
- The Super Mario Bros. Galaxy Movie’s Keegan-Michael Key Shares Surprise Update That Has Me Stoked
- Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds Review — An Arcade Kart Racer For Gearheads
2025-11-17 04:07