Disney used its D23 Entertainment Showcase this weekend to lock in a 2028 theatrical calendar heavy enough that industry analysts are already comparing it to the studio’s record-setting 2019, when Disney and Fox’s combined output pulled in $13.15 billion worldwide.
The studio’s Marvel and Pixar and live-action divisions each landed marquee dates. “X-Men,” directed by “Thunderbolts*” filmmaker Jake Schreier, will open May 5, 2028, with Sadie Sink returning as Jean Grey alongside Christopher Abbott as Professor X, Kit Connor as Cyclops, Samara Weaving as Emma Frost, Inde Navarrette as Rogue and Maya Boyd as Storm.
Adam Driver, appearing by video from an empty soundstage, confirmed he will play the villain Mr. Sinister rather than the Magneto role fans had speculated about. Marvel’s Ghost Rider, starring Ryan Gosling as Johnny Blaze under “Deadpool & Wolverine” director Shawn Levy, targets the same year, following the pair’s collaboration on next year’s “Star Wars: Starfighter.”
Disney’s live-action “Tangled” arrives March 31, 2028, with Teagan Croft as Rapunzel and Kathryn Hahn as Mother Gothel, while Pixar has claimed March 10 for “Ghost Market,” an original film about a supernatural bazaar drawn from Asian folklore that was originally conceived as a series before shifting to a feature. Pixar follows in June with “Incredibles 3,” which director Pete Docter has said will shift focus toward the Parr children, Violet and Dash. “Lilo & Stitch 2” also joins the year’s slate, alongside Marvel’s continued rollout following “Avengers: Doomsday” this Christmas.
Deadline reported that Disney currently holds 14 release dates in the Rentrak tracking system for 2028, not counting titles from 20th Century Studios or Searchlight, with more expected to fill in before the year is locked. The push comes as domestic box office receipts in 2026 are on pace to reach roughly $10 billion, and as executives point to Sony’s Marvel co-production “Spider-Man: Brand New Day,” which has grossed more than $1.8 billion globally, as evidence that audiences respond to strong filmmaking rather than franchise names alone.
Disney has not finalized its full 2028 calendar, and titles on the list can still shift dates or move years, as has happened with prior slates announced at D23.
