5 burning questions we desperately need Disney to answer at D23 Expo
D23 Expo doesn't inspire full-on fan mania with its dry title, taken from the Walt Disney Co.'s official fan club. ("D" is for Disney; "23" is 1923, the year the company originated.)
But Disney's biennial conference at Anaheim Convention Center (July 14 to 16) has turned into a must-attend event for passionate fans of blue-chip properties like Star Wars, Marvel and Pixar.
“With Disney’s properties growing exponentially, the Disney movie fanbase is also growing, and the D23 Expo has exploded with that,” says Erik Davis, managing editor of movie ticket site Fandango.com.
Disney is keeping mum about the surprise reveals and star appearances looming. But here are five burning questions before D23 Expo begins.
Q. How weepy will the 'Legends' ceremony get?
A: Friday morning's Disney Legends Award ceremony was already destined to be a touching event, with Carrie Fisher (aka Princess Leia) slated for induction alongside her Star Wars co-star Mark Hamill, Oprah Winfrey and beloved director Garry Marshall (who died last summer).
“It hasn’t even been a year since the shock (of Fisher's death), people are still digesting that,” says film historian Leonard Maltin. “The opportunity to sing her praises is one no one wants to pass up.”
Piling on the emotion: Marvel Comics icon Stan Lee will be honored barely a week after losing his wife of 69 years, Joan Lee. It's not clear if Lee will still attend. But bring hankies.
Q: Will the Han Solo project get a PR boost?
A: In a rare disturbance in the Disney universe, directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller were cut loose last month from the untitled Han Solo spinoff movie already in progress. Director Ron Howard was installed to complete the project.
Disney will need to show that this house is in order when it faces fans Saturday for Lucasfilm's presentation.
“They are going to have to address this somehow,” Davis says. “Hopefully they show us some awesome existing footage, or get people excited about it to course-correct the conversation.”
Q: Will we finally see something from 'The Incredibles 2'?
A: Animation giant Pixar will highlight its upcoming releases, including Coco (in theaters Nov. 22) and Toy Story 4 (June 21, 2019). But expectant eyes will be on director Brad Bird’s The Incredibles 2 (June 15, 2018), the sequel to 2004's cherished The Incredibles, which has been in production for two years but shared only concept art
“We want to see much more from Incredibles 2, even a trailer. We’re only a year out,” says Bill Desowitz, animation editor for IndieWire.com.
Q: How will 'Wrinkle' look?
A: Madeleine L’Engle's 1962 fantasy novel A Wrinkle in Time is a daunting concept to translate to the screen. Director Ava DuVernay has just wrapped shooting and confirmed on Twitter that D23 will show the first trailer.
Winfrey, as the magical Mrs. Which, will already be in the neighborhood. Expect a big turnout of the A-list cast, which includes Chris Pine and Reese Witherspoon.
“Wrinkle in Time is this big wild card. Everyone’s really curious how this is going to look,” says Davis.
Q: Will Marvel start a 'Civil War' by saving the juiciest reveals for Comic-Con?
A: Marvel Studios will dominate the annual fan convention Comic-Con (July 20 to 23) in San Diego, where there's a 90-minute slate devoted just to Marvel. To keep both sets of fans happy, Marvel will need to give D23-ers love with reveals from Thor: Ragnarok (Nov. 3), Black Panther (Feb 16, 2018) or Avengers: Infinity War (May 4, 2018).
“They're going to have to make sure Comic-Con and D23 have their own experiences,” Davis says.
