#apparently they're coming out in 2027

[greatqueenanna]

Frozen 3 - What We Know So Far - 2024

(Note - official F3 concept art released during D23 2024)

(Edit on 6/9/24 - Added the confirmation of Kristen Bell's return and made some grammar corrections.)

(Edit on 8/10/24 - Added new information released during D23 August, 2024)

(Edit on 8/13/24 - Changing some misleading wording choices, fixing some grammar mistakes, and adding quote from D23.)

(Edit on 8/14/24 - Added alleged release date for F3.)

(Edit on 8/23/24 - Added confirmed release date (or, goal) and some development)

As with the my 2023 F3 news post, I wanted to make a post that highlights everything we learn in 2024. I have linked the previous year's post below, so you can see the articles and references directly.

This post will be updated the more we learn about Frozen 3. Keep checking to see if any new news is added as the year goes by.

What We Know So Far - 2023

-----

What We Know

Frozen 3 is releasing in November 24th, 2027. It was delayed from 2026. Jennifer Lee confirmed that they are aiming for this date.

Frozen 3 is having its story separated into two films.

The team is working on F3 and F4 at the same time.

F3 and F4 are still in early development.

Marc Smith is head of story.

Jennifer Lee is producing and overseeing the project.

Idina Menzel and Josh Gad have confirmed that they are returning. Kristen Bell has also confirmed, but through a temporary Instagram story.

The Lopezes are returning to write the songs.

Only the main films (and possibly short films as well) will be considered canon to F3 and F4.

The writers are trying to answer lingering questions, including more Ahtohallan and Nature Spirits lore, more explanation about Elsa's powers and why Anna does not have magic, Anna's role as Queen, Anna and Kristoff's future plans for children, if Kristoff will be King, Kristoff and Sven's past, what happened to Prince Hans, and more about the Frozen Heart concept.

It has been confirmed that no story leaks have released online, and everything has been kept a secret.

What We Don't Know

Frozen 4 release date.

If Johnathan Groff, or any other major voice actor is returning to the project. Although, it is heavily implied that at least Johnathan Groff will return.

If Chris Buck, director of the previous two films and Frozen Fever, is returning to the project.

The Director(s) of the Film.

The Main Writer(s) of the Film.

------

More information and article and video links under the read more.

A couple articles and videos that were missed in 2023.

----

In November, Josh Gad did an interview on The View to discuss his new Broadway show Gutenberg! The Musical. Here, he also teased that Frozen 3's story will be Mind blowing, and also hinted that the entire cast of the main five protagonists will return.

"I could share things with you, but Disney would literally escort me out of the building with armed security No, apparently there are two Frozen sequels in development right now — surprise! Equally surprised — and I know Jennifer Lee, who wrote and directed the first two, is hard at work with the team right now. I’ve heard a little bit and I can tell you guys, it’s pretty mind-blowing what’s coming. It’s pretty exciting. And it’s been so great because Kristen, Idina and Jonathan have all come to be guest producers on Gutenberg! The Musical. So we’ll come backstage and we’ll all talk Frozen and then talk this other thing." - Josh Gad

----

Also in November, Jennifer Lee did another interview, this time with GamesRadar, where she claimed that Frozen 3 has a lot of story to tell, and that is why it was separated into two films.

"We're really excited about where they're going, and we just have a lot of story to tell with that direction we're going in. So, I think, in my head, there may be enough for two in that story. But I'm really, really loving working with the team and where they're going." - Jennifer Lee

----

Later on in December, Peter Del Vecho did an interview with The Direct while promoting Wish, where he claimed that the story of Frozen 3 will be amazing.

“Look, we only do sequels if we believe there's enough story to tell. They're working on it up in development, I'm focused on 'Wish'. But it is exciting what they're working on. I will say anything that you read about it in the public, we haven't said anything about it. So it's all conjecture, but I trust that it's going to be amazing." - Peter Del Vecho

Articles and videos from 2024.

The first major news we got in 2024 was in February, when Frozen 3's released year was announced. Bob Iger confirmed that along with Toy Story 5, Frozen 3 was set to release in 2026.

----

On August 10th, 2024 - D23 brought a lot of Frozen 3 news, including the announcement of the delay to 2027, and some major questions that could lead to the main plot points of the two part film. Recording of Jennifer Lee's announcement at D23 provided by the user Keena Kindragon on Youtube.

“Coming out of Frozen 2, we still had some questions. A lot of questions actually. That was just page one. Now you know why it will take two films to answer them. Just a tease, again, just a tease(…). We are very early on, this is development art, don’t hold me to it. But if you look closely, it captures the seeds of the next epic adventure of Anna and Elsa. And some things might spark, we hope, a few new questions for all of you. Everyone at Walt Disney Animation is so excited to be back in this world, and we would not have this opportunity if it were not for all of you.”

— Jennifer Lee, D23

A more closer look at the new concept art, new logo, and questions provided below -

----

On the same day, Josh Gad confirmed the release date and also showed the leaked logo artwork that was originally thought to be fake, but might actually be either an early concept or alternate version. Photo provided by @frozen-snowflakesandsunflowers

----

On August 13th, Deadline released an article with release dates for multiple Disney projects, including Frozen 3. Without any official Disney sources, they stated that the release date is November 24th, 2027.

----

Thanks to @frozen-snowflakesandsunflowers, another interview was given by Jennifer Lee for Fundago on 8/21/24 where she confirmed that they are aiming for November 24th, 2027 release, that they are very early on, and that they are working on F3 and F4 at the same time.

----

[kylesvariouslistsandstuff]

Okay, so I kinda stopped the live update thing with D23 since they pretty much moved past animation within 40 or so minutes...

I have several questions regarding... Well, that concept image of TOY STORY 5 revealed earlier in the night...

You'll notice Woody without Bo Peep, along with Buzz, and... Forky...

When does this take place?

Because, in TOY STORY 4, Bonnie made Forky during her kindergarten orientation and then the weekend right after... A road trip! The plot of the movie happens, Woody goes off with Bo at the end...

Given that the story also involves around 50 Buzz toys that are in "play mode" and will serve as antagonists, I doubt this all takes place in a day or two. Or maybe it does, I don't know. It seemed like the road trip just began RIGHT after Bonnie's first day.

So... Does chronology not matter and they're just MAD MAX-ing this? Is it a new Woody doll? Did Buzz get so lonely without his best pal that, in desperation, he somehow found another Woody doll and strong-armed him into being with the gang? That'd be a little different for sure.

Or, does Woody wake up and all of that road trip was just a dream? Complete with the laser-eyed giant Bunny and Ducky? That would be a HELL of a way to retcon TOY STORY 4's much contested (at least, online) ending. Sike!

I really do not know. Other than the basic gist of the movie (traditional toys vs. electronics/tablets/etc.), Andrew Stanton didn't reveal much... I'm sure something's at play here, or there's some kind of explanation. It would be unusual of Pixar, whose teams usually think these things through, to just have Woody there without Bo...

Now, ELIO... Whose major director shake-up *wasn't* announced at D23... And that it lost cast member America Ferrera as the voice of Elio's mom. Zoe Saldana joining as his aunt was the only thing revealed...

So, we knew from rumblings that ELIO was going to see some retooling after Pixar delayed the movie from its original March 1, 2024 release date to June 13, 2025... But, Pete Docter straight up took director Adrian Molina off the movie and reassigned him to a "priority project"... This tells me that this wasn't a typical Lasseter-style director banishment.

His replacements (!), curiously, are two women: Domee Shi and Madeline Sharafian. Shi of course needs no introduction, the director of TURNING RED and also the short BAO, Sharafian directed the SparkShort BURROW, which would've run before SOUL in theaters in 2020 but instead debuted on Disney+ with the same day due to COVID.

Shi was working on an original of her own before she got put onto ELIO, and I don't think Sharafian was getting a feature of her own off the ground, so this is a great opportunity for her. It also means that Shi's sophomore effort, and not a picture she has taken over, will have to wait. Probably won't be out 'til 2028/2029 at this point.

This is very much like what happened to RATATOUILLE. In early 2005, RATATOUILLE's originator Jan Pinkava was taken off the film by the brass. Bird had just come off of THE INCREDIBLES, his first Pixar feature, and they asked him to take over RATATOUILLE. Shi came off of her feature debut, at Pixar no less, TURNING RED. Now, she has taken over someone else's film. A little over three years after her last one, and Bird got RATATOUILLE out 2 1/2 years after the release of THE INCREDIBLES.

Molina is still credited as director on an internal document, so I wonder if portions he directed remain in the movie next to the parts Shi and Sharafian directed. You would think this would be a much bigger deal, though! But I suppose at D23, it's all about sequels and synergy and such. Walt Disney Animation Studios head Jennifer Lee curiously namedropped an original set for fall 2026, but proceeded not to name it, and only spoke of fall 2027's FROZEN III after MOANA 2 and ZOOTOPIA 2 were covered.

Docter said in the interview for The Wrap, tucked away there, that a lot of the problems apparently concerned Elio's character in the first act of the movie. It happens sometimes, a director and team may struggle getting past the first third or so. I know I've had many issues like that writing my stories, so it's not uncommon. Ask any writer or creator, really.

Curiously, after Docter assumed his Chief Creative Officer position in mid-June, this is his first time taking a director off of a movie. ONWARD, LUCA, TURNING RED, LIGHTYEAR, ELEMENTAL, INSIDE OUT 2... all went through, unscathed. Night-and-day from Lasseter, who seemed to upend every 2010s movie that wasn't made by one of his favorites.

Now... INCREDIBLES 3 raises questions about Brad Bird's involvement. He's said to be "developing" it as of now. How's RAY GUNN, his $150m traditionally animated movie, going over at Skydance Animation? There had been rumors and rumblings about him having a hard time there, back with old boss Lasseter, but if $150m was already spent on this thing... Either it's actually far along and he's simultaneously getting INCREDIBLES 3 going, or... RAY GUNN is once again no more, facing the same fate it did at Turner/Warner Animation in the '90s.

Release dates...

Currently blank on the animation boards, title-wise, is a Pixar slated for June 2027...

INCREDIBLES 3 *could* debut in summer 2027, nine years after INCREDIBLES 2's summer 2018 release. Ten years would be another while, wouldn't it? Last time Pixar did sequels back-to-back was when INCREDIBLES 2 came out, followed by TOY STORY 4 in 2019. A repeat, imagine that, this time with the TOY STORY movie debuting first.

As for what was going to be Domee Shi's second film that was a creation of her own, I guess that'll come out in 2028 at the earliest if INCREDIBLES 3 doesn't nab that slot. Even if it does, musical chairs often happens at Pixar. INCREDIBLES 2 originally got scheduled for June 2019, and then traded places with TOY STORY 4.

So... ELIO, Daniel Chong's HOPPERS, Andrew Stanton's TOY STORY 5, INCREDIBLES 3... That looks to be the tarmac here, with Pixar. Of course, something else could sneak its way in or something moves back.

WDAS is ever vague, MOANA 2, ZOOTOPIA 2 (no director revealed or fully confirmed, apparently?), Untitled Original, FROZEN III, FROZEN IV...

ADD-ON... Hours later: Upon further inspection... In the TOY STORY 5 concept art, Jessie is wearing Woody's "Sheriff" badge... So, that kinda tells me, this is set after TOY STORY 4...

Curious and curiouser as to how Woody's back in the fold, and Bo's not present...

[rottinghouseplants]

Francisco's heart raced as he gazed up at the massive building before him. The fence lay in ruins, destroyed by the military truck that now lay overturned behind him. The sight was ominous, sending shivers down his spine.

"What in the world happened here?" Francisco's voice was trembling, his mind racing with thoughts of what could possibly be lurking inside the crumbling walls. He cautiously made his way towards the entrance, taking in the strange and otherworldly flora that had taken over the perimeter of the base. The purple glow emanating from the plants was both beautiful and unsettling, and they seemed to pulsate with a life of their own. "I've never seen anything like this..." Francisco whispered to himself, his curiosity piqued.

As he pushed open the front door, it swung open with an eerie creak. The silence inside the abandoned building was deafening, and Francisco couldn't help but feel a sense of foreboding wash over him. "Is anyone here?" His voice echoed through the empty halls, but there was no response except for the flickering of the overhead lights. Francisco's heart raced as he ventured further into the building, his senses on high alert. The atmosphere was thick with mystery and danger, and he couldn't shake off the feeling that he was being watched. But despite the fear coursing through his veins, Francisco couldn't deny the morbid curiosity inside of him growing by the minute.

Francisco cautiously made his way through the dimly lit corridors, the only sound accompanying him the faint hum of the malfunctioning computers. The air was thick with the musty smell of neglect, a stark contrast to the bustling base he had once known. As he settled into the chair at a desk in the abandoned office, his fingers danced over the keyboard, the clicking echoing through the empty room. The sudden whirring of the monitor made him jump, his heart racing with anticipation. With each line of code he analyzed, each document he uncovered, the mystery deepened. Francisco couldn't help but whisper again to himself, "What in the world happened here?"

As he rose from his seat, his eyes fell on a stack of folders marked "classified" next to a massive metal door. He knew this door led to the lower levels of the base, a place he had always been forbidden from entering. Determined to uncover the truth, Francisco rifled through the paperwork, his fingers trembling with excitement. And then he found it - a folder containing a photo of the strange flora he had seen outside. But what started off as a simple investigation quickly took a dark turn. The documents were filled with urgency, the words jumping off the page with a sense of desperation.

FutureSims Labs: Fort Strangerville Military Base #13 Rank: Classified Subject: Bizarre Plant (Subject #59) Date: October 22nd, 2027 Observation Log: The air in the lab hangs heavy with a sickly sweet scent, a stark contrast to the sterile environment we are used to. The fluorescent lights flicker, casting an eerie glow on the faces of my team. We have been living and breathing this project for months now, and it's starting to take its toll. Subject #59 sits before us, its twisted vines reaching out like tentacles. Its flowers emit a hypnotizing pulse, drawing us in closer and closer. We are all mesmerized, but not in the way we had hoped. The plant's effects on us are becoming more and more apparent. Some of my colleagues have succumbed to its grasp, their once brilliant minds now reduced to mindless drones. They wander the lab, their faces contorted in a strange trance. And when we try to reason with them, they become violent. It's like they're no longer human. Our orders are to evacuate and abandon our research, but how can we leave now? We have come too far, sacrificed too much. We need to understand this plant, to unlock its secrets. But the truth is, we are no longer safe here. The lab is no longer a haven, but a prison. The plant is spreading, and with it, the madness. It's like a virus, infecting anyone who comes into contact with it. And we are running out of time. I can't shake the feeling that there's something otherworldly about this plant. Its origins are unknown, its abilities beyond our comprehension. But one thing is for sure, if it continues to spread, it will be the downfall of not just Strangerville, but perhaps the entire world. I am writing this not for documentation, but as a warning. We cannot contain this plant any longer. It's only a matter of time before it consumes us all. The truth must be told, even if it means risking my own safety. So I implore whoever reads this, do not underestimate the power of this plant. It may seem like just a simple specimen, but it holds a darkness and danger that we cannot comprehend. And if we don't act soon, it may be too late.

Francisco's fingers trembled as he reached for the small notepad and pen in his jacket, his heart racing in anticipation. He had to write this down before he forgot any details. With shaky hands, he scribbled some notes in his notepad, trying to make sense of the situation he found himself in. But as he looked back up at the keypad on the door, his fear only intensified. There was only one way to find out what this was all about.

With a deep breath, he pulled out the small keycard from his pocket and held it up to the card reader. The door slid open with a loud creak, revealing a dark staircase that seemed to lead down into an abyss. Francisco's heart pounded in his chest as he took a step forward, the unknown beckoning him further into its depths. But he couldn't turn back now. Not when he was so close to uncovering the truth. With determination and a hint of fear, he descended into the darkness, his senses on high alert.

As he reached the bottom of the stairs, a chill ran down his spine, an ominous warning of the unknown awaiting him. The frigid air seemed to wrap around him like a sinister embrace, sending shivers through his body. As he reached the bottom, he was met with a dark hallway stretching out before him, an eerie stillness hanging in the air. To his right, a faint light flickered at the end of another hallway, beckoning him closer. Squinting his eyes to adjust to the darkness ahead, he noticed a peculiar sight. Blue smoke billowed from the hallway, glowing pink orbs dancing within its thick haze. It was an otherworldly sight that both mesmerized and unnerved him.

Taking a step forward, he was immediately hit with a pungent smell that assaulted his senses. It was like sulfur, a noxious odor that made him recoil in disgust. He knew he couldn't proceed without proper equipment, but he couldn't help but be drawn to the mysterious source of the alluring light and mesmerizing smoke. His mind raced with questions and his heart raced with fear as he stood there, torn between curiosity and self-preservation. What could possibly be causing this strange phenomenon? And who or what could have created it? His thoughts were interrupted by a sudden realization – whatever was floating through the vents down here, it had to be toxic. He couldn't risk his safety by venturing into the unknown without proper precautions. With a heavy heart, he reluctantly turned and made his way back up the stairs, the mystery and danger of the dark hallway left behind, for now.

[batsplat]

can we have a conversation about how much ktm is in shambles? cause i’m hearing they’re having so many problems financially and apparently even technically. it seems like they got stuck from the start of the season and they are just not progressing. i get that the last few circuits weren’t stop and go circuits that ktm prefers but the performances were really worrying. now, no offense to binder but he clearly has no backbone, but pedro already scolded them this weekend because they are not working the way they should, is there a chance they finally decide to take a risk and develop a project around him? because i feel like that’s what they need to do, a bit like yamaha or honda did for vale and marc. also i’ve thought about the fact that a lot of ktm engineers are leaving ktm for honda, if honda is actually working on a good project for 2027, is there a chance that perhaps a rider like pedro could get them out of the hole they got stuck into? cause i think that would be very interesting to see. of course only if he decides to leave ktm which i hope he doesn’t cause i’d like to see him become the first motogp wdc winner with a ktm. also i can’t really see where else he could go if one day he decides he’s unsatisfied with ktm

love asks that clearly come from the heart. I've been holding off on being too mean about ktm because in a way I do want to save it for after the NEXT race. we're in austria now!! ktm's home race! which they've actually been remarkably successful at, given they're the only non-ducati manufacturer to ever win in the modern iteration of this race in the premier class - first in that quirky last corner shoot-out courtesy of oliveira in 2020 and then in that bizarre slicks in the wet performance by binder in 2021. which, okay, unusual races and all that, but it's a track they should be doing well at!! binder got two second places here last year. if they flop here, then the alarm bells will really be ringing

I guess we can get into an argument about what 'flopping' would even look like. it's entirely plausible that, hm, the first 4-5 slots at minimum are locked out by ducati again - honestly, at the minute another ducati podium lock out feels like the expected scenario. I have heard there's a decent possibility of rain on sunday, but by this point of the year I've been promised rain quite a few times so I'll believe it when I see it. if it rains, sure, anything's possible. a positive result for ktm right now would probably be... a podium, right, which in itself is pretty damning - how are ktm still this bad at actually winning races? last year, binder got a podium at silverstone, which isn't a massively ktm-friendly track. this year, they didn't get even remotely close to that. the ktm defence argument goes 'well, look at what everyone else is doing'. silverstone is a very aprilia-friendly track and they had a pretty disastrous weekend themselves this year. the less said about the japanese manufacturers, the better. but... well, ktm was kinda supposed to take it to ducati this year. they finished last year on a very promising note, with what really should have been a 1-2 at valencia. (the fact that they didn't convert on that maybe should've gotten some alarm bells ringing about the ultimate potential of that rider line-up, but let's not get into that.) after binder's performance at qatar, ktm surely should have been determined to be in the title hunt. they are extremely not in the title hunt

the thing is, anon, ktm does know that pedro is their title winner. the idea of 'developing a project' around him is tricky - because to the extent that ktm is capable of that, they will do it!! they're not going to develop the bike in a direction that suits binder over him, for instance, or completely disregard his feedback or any of that. manufacturers can struggle with being reactive enough to rider concerns... my sense is that ktm likes to throw a lot of stuff at problems, it likes to flex its muscles and use a lot of data and come up with big update packages and all of that - and for all the progress they've made in their bike development, clearly all is not yet well on the in-season development front. (cf the whole chattering thing that ducati has gotten a handle on and ktm hasn't.) manufacturers do sometimes have a tendency to believe they know best and not listen enough to their riders, especially when there's a disconnect between the riders and 'the factory' that's actually designing the bikes. yamaha is an interesting example of that at the minute, where a lot of their current problems are so long-running that you can find their roots in stuff jorge and valentino were complaining about YEARS and years back. they've become a lot more reactive in recent years and did do a lot to tackle fabio's complaints about the bike's top speed... but by that point, they were in such a hole that just 'fixing the top speed' really wasn't enough to actually make a competitive bike. still, part of the reason why fabio's decided to stick with that project is he feels like yamaha is finally listening to him - and if they'd lost him, they'd really be fucked, so that has to count as at least a little bit of a W

in terms of the valentino and marc comparisons, they are just about different enough that it'll only take you so far. with valentino, the simple truth is that nobody today could do what he did for the yamaha project in 2004. he couldn't do that nowadays; it just isn't possible for a rider and his team to make that sort of instant impact anymore. motogp is so different now, with all the aero and devices and all the other stuff casey hates. the balance of power, if you will, has shifted pretty decisively from riders to engineers. also, valentino by that point was a fair bit more experienced and a lot of the credit has to go to his even more experienced team for what they were able to do with yamaha's carte blanche. a rookie, however gifted, just won't be able to provide quite the same level of direction. with marc... well, the honda was fantastic when he showed up! best bike on the grid! it's not exactly an analogous situation to pedro in that what honda needed to do was 'keep being good'. they did listen to marc's feedback and it did bag them enough titles to make it worth their while, but it also did not send their bike down a particularly happy development route for anyone else riding that thing - which ultimately as a manufacturer is not a situation you should want. honda was already losing the development arms race to ducati in the late 2010s, but giving marc a fast if capricious bike and relying on his natural talent to ride around the issues managed to disguise the problems for a while... or at least make them hurt less. all in all, I'm not really convinced 2010s honda is a model anyone should be particularly interested in copying

what ktm should do is listen to pedro, obviously. I assume they're already treating him as their championship contender elect, but if they're not then, yes, they'd be idiots. and given how long it took for them to actually confirm his place in motogp last year, I am open to the possibility that ktm are being idiots here. whether there's a workable system in place to actually make use of that feedback and continue to progress is more open for debate, and that's kinda what pedro went to the factory to check in on. pedro today was talking up a "big, big step" in the coming few races, in part due to the impact of their two test riders and the more ktm-friendly circuits to come, so it'll be interesting to see if it lives up to that. beyond that, who knows? ktm does have money and resources and a track record of success outside of motogp to give it faith, but of course this year has been a disappointment. (quick note: I have seen the stuff about ktm being in trouble financially and obviously that would massively change all of this, but at this stage it's quite hard to judge how seriously to take that - so the rest of this ask will assume that ktm will continue having a lot of money at its disposal. if they don't, my analysis is that they're probably fucked.) the first bit of the season made everyone doubt whether the bike was actually better than thought and the riders were simply not taking advantage of it - which a few signs last year like 'surely dani shouldn't be this competitive' and the whole valencia thing already pointed to. now, it's definitely less competitive than last year and even their superstar rookie can't do all that much with it, so that's not great. they do have a little time to play with here, but not that much. pedro's signed for 2025-26, but if ktm doesn't start next season more competitive, it won't take long for him to start looking around. and even though you can't do valentino 2004 things in quite the same way anymore, this is clearly going to be a project that needs an alien-level talent to actually get it over the line. they've kinda managed to fail upwards into a very strong set of riders next year and they should be able to extract a lot of them for bike development purposes, but also their rider management has traditionally been godawful so it remains to be seen how that'll work out

that being said, pedro will be fine! I mean, idk if he'll be ktm's first premier class world champion. if I had to put money on it, I'd say it's pretty likely, yeah? but the 'where would he go' thing isn't really a big concern. all the big names have kinda hunkered down (as have the teams who signed them) with two year contracts that take us very neatly to the next rule cycle kicking in, which everyone expects will majorly shake things up. while this whole japanese manufacturer situation is massively annoying, I would be shocked if at least one of them aren't regular race winners again in 2027, and hopefully will already be so before that. most manufacturers except maybe honda have at least one star rider they're intending to be a title contender in 2027, and ducati has two. they probably won't all stay in the same place (even if they all remain reasonably healthy in that time) and there's bound to be at least one manufacturer hunting for a big name. pecco will be in his late prime and possibly grey-haired, god knows what state marc will be in *taps wood*, we have no idea how the whole jorge aprilia situation will work out. maybe yamaha will be so competitive again that they actually decide they want TWO riders fighting it out for a championship and we get a proper throwback in blue to the good old garage cold war days - which is where my imagination sadly fails me because I can't picture fabio putting up a wall or yamaha not sucking. maybe, like you say, pedro is just what honda needs to... well, honestly I don't think he could get them out of this hole - but perhaps in a couple years time when honda is looking healthier again, he's the kind of rider that could make it a title winner again. it'll be a new world! if pedro is as good as we all think he is, then obviously any manufacturer would be thrilled to get their hands on him, not least to deprive the competition of having him. how old will he be in 2026? about nine years old, I think? if I had to guess, I do kinda see him being a title contender around 2026-ish, because I just can't quite picture ktm making the necessary leap by next year so 2026 feels like a good way of hedging my bets and trusting his sickening levels of natural talent to make up the bike difference. one of my big remaining doubts is... well, it's actually been quite a while since a new manufacturer has won a rider's title. the last time was ducati way back in 2007 when they nailed the new regulations cycle and also kinda lucked into signing the casey stoner, but ducati had already been regular race winners for quite a few years before that. capirossi was third in the championship in 2006. I suppose aprilia got vaguely close in 2022, but that was a chaos season we don't have much reason to expect to see a repeat of any time soon, and in the end they also didn't get that close. ktm really needs to be getting into race winning form soon if they want to be thinking about titles. it's ridiculous that it's been over three years since their last win in the dry, and nearly two since their last win full stop. if I were them, I would maybe consider winning some races, instead of continuing to lose them idk. let's see how they do on sunday, eh

[kylesvariouslistsandstuff]

This is my post for tonight's movie presentation at the D23 Expo, which I'll edit/update as the news comes out, and after I formulate thoughts and whatnot... I have already seen some of the stuff for ELIO and ZOOTOPIA 2 revealed earlier today and yesterday, and will integrate my thoughts into this.

10:23PM EST (Approx): Looks like MOANA 2 will be the focus of their first announcement tonight. A real 180 from the 2022 D23, where they saved all the animation stuff for the last half hour and breeeezed through it.

10:30 PM EST: Trailer drop. Promises epic adventure, more pig, a very natural kind of villain, and worldbuilding/expansion of this South Pacific setting. I dig, I dig. Looks very movie-caliber to me. If it was never said that this began life as a D+ show, I don't think most would see a difference.

10:35 EST: The Rock is involved with another Disney movie, a live-action called MONSTER JAM. About... Monster trucks. Documentary or picture that isn't a remake? No release date given.

10:37 EST: 'Kay, we're jumping right into the AVATAR movies now. From water to monster trucks to water... I guess we'll be jumping around a bit tonight.

10:42 EST: AVATAR 3 is AVATAR: FIRE AND ASH. Not THE SEED BEARER, as previously rumored. Hitting all the elements.

10:44 EST: Alright, Pixar time, what's a-cookin'?

10:46 EST: Kicking off with DREAM PRODUCTIONS, the INSIDE OUT Disney+ series that had been previously talked about in interviews. TBD 2025. Takes place between the two movies, so a little bridging of the gap.

10:48 EST: FINALLY! A WIN OR LOSE release date! December 6th!

10:50 EST: Trailer for WIN OR LOSE. Looks like a lot of fun, love the different animation styles for each players' perspectives.

TOY STORY 5 is being directed by Andrew Stanton after all. Concept art shows Woody, Buzz, and the gang all together, in Bonnie's room. She's playing with a tablet. Apparently the story about toys dealing with... Electronics. Smartphones and computers and tablets... Is this a midquel?

A bunch of malfunctioning Buzzes... 50 of them... Is the antagonist. Kinda dipping into the unmade Circle 7 TOY STORY 3 well for ideas, is we?

10:54 EST: Pixar original 2026 is called HOPPERS, starring Bobby Moynihan as a beaver. Not a movie about a clone army of the A BUG'S LIFE villain. Logo gives secret agent/spy vibes. Critter comedy meets action?

It's about a girl who switches brains with a beaver, while her town's mayor (voiced by Jon Hamm) threatens to destroy the beaver home... Love this. Wacky-sounding and perfectly Pixar.

10:58 EST: Zoe Saldanha is starring in ELIO, as the titular kid's aunt. The story doesn't sound much different from what the mid-2023 teaser promised...

The little girl is HOPPERS is putting her brain in a ROBOT beaver, correction. This stuff comes at you so fast. No director named, but I'm thinking it's Daniel Chong?

11:01 EST: INCREDIBLES 3... Whoaaaaaa.

HOPPERS is Daniel Chong's Pixar movie. Makes sense... Bears, now beavers...

Per INCREDIBLES 3... "Brad Bird is developing it right now." Directing? Writing? Producing?

Pixar presentation OVER. INCREDIBLES 3, I guess, will bow in 2027 or 2028.

11:05 PM EST: ZOOTOPIA 2 time. Ke Huy Quan voices a snake named Gary in the film. Reptiles, sea creatures, and more are now in the city.

11:09 PM EST: FROZEN III, 2027. Not 2026. FROZEN IV confirmed. Disney's "Four Seasons" quadrilogy, it seems.

Jennifer Lee says an original comes from WDAS in 2026... Doesn't say what... yet?

11:12 PM EST: Not announced at D23. Adrian Molina was removed as director from ELIO, it was taken over by Domee Shi and Madeline Sharafian... More on this shocking development later.

11:15 PM EST: They're onto stage stuff now, musicals, etc. No word on the WDAS original slated for 2026. Surprised, but also not surprised. The furthest Pixars tend to get announced before the furthest WDAS movie... Still very shocked about ELIO, though. First director removal of Pete Docter's era... He said in an interview that Molina is still at Pixar and had been moved to a "priority project"... ELIO must've really hit a wall, or something's afoot...

Stay tooned...

[kylesvariouslistsandstuff]

Sequel Scuttlebutt

Say it ain't so! ELEMENTAL 2 is apparently in the works! TOY STORY 5 is supposed to have Andy show up with his "new family"! Something... Something...

Yeah, um... I looked at the "sources", it's either some podcast with a lot of "I've heard" or a fansite with a very spotty track record. And there's been *plenty* of talk over the latter news, given how divisive TOY STORY 4 was.

How's about we wait for official word from the filmmakers, Disney, and/or Pixar themselves on what's happening? 'Kay? We're still less than a year away from the movie ELIO, and an INSIDE OUT sequel is right after that... Like... C'mon, this is not only quite early for a movie that currently does not have a release date, but also... It's not from the filmmakers themselves.

I'd imagine TOY STORY 5 should be out in about a few years from now. When Disney bought Pixar in 2006, and Pixar finally began production on their TOY STORY 3 - and not some Pixar-less concoction that had been in development prior to that, they announced it right off the bat. And the movie, at first, was set for 2009. It ended up being released in 2010, four years after the initial announcement.

TOY STORY 4 was officially unveiled during a Disney earnings call in fall 2014, with a summer 2017 release date. Overtime, it went back a year, and then another year... So that's about 4 1/2 years out from release.

TOY STORY 5's existence was revealed to us mere months ago. It may come out in 2026, or 2027, maybe even a little later. It's probably deep in development as I type. Again... I'll just wait for its director/writer/whathaveyou, or a studio press release or some announcement from a reputable trade.

ELEMENTAL 2... Yeah, I mean, it *could* happen? Originally, that movie's ending was to have a time-skip, and it ended up getting axed. It's been hinted that the sequel could lengthen what was to be a minute or so long, or something else. The movie is currently up to $478m at the worldwide box office, over 2.3x its $200m budget. $500m would be the classic 2 1/2x breakeven point, but both Disney and Pixar heads seem quite happy with how the movie did regardless of overall total. They're wisely thinking of its legs and good scores. It's a real pick-me-up from how LIGHTYEAR did last year, and in terms of animation all-around, Disney Animation's STRANGE WORLD's disastrous run.

So, yeah, it could get a sequel... But I'll wait till word from the source.

It'd be rather quick, too. Pixar sequels tend to be announced a little while after the first/previous movie debuts. With the exception of TOY STORY 2, and first sequels to movies made before the merger, they tend to wait that out.

CARS came out in June 2006, the sequel was announced in April 2008.

CARS 3 was officially announced in March 2014, nearly three years after CARS 2 came out. Michael Wallis, the voice of the Sheriff in those movies, did let that slip a little while beforehand whether he was supposed to or not. That was in, approx., August 2013.

Again, TOY STORY 4 was announced in October 2014. This was four years after the release of TOY STORY 3.

INSIDE OUT came out in June 2015, the sequel was announced this past September, some seven years after the first one came out.

I'll throw in LIGHTYEAR as well, given that it's TOY STORY-adjacent. TOY STORY 4 came out in June 2019, LIGHTYEAR was announced in December 2020. Over a year and a half later.

So if an ELEMENTAL 2 (ELEMENTWO?) is indeed in the cards, I'd imagine they wouldn't announce it this fast. Maybe in a few years from now.

It'd be interesting to see that movie be the first of the Docter-era movies to get a sequel, after all, it is their first somewhat-financial success in a long while - in the old-school pre-COVID sense.

The movie was greenlit before Pete Docter became Pixar's CCO, but it went full steam ahead after the previous leader's ousting.

It's hard to gauge with the other titles. ONWARD didn't fare too well even before it was cut off by the pandemic, SOUL isn't really a sequelizable movie, LUCA maybe? TURNING RED, maybe? They're very self-contained stories, like most Pixars are. That's not to say they absolutely *can't* have sequels, but it's okay if they don't get them, either. Had LIGHTYEAR not flopped, we would've gotten at least another one of those, given the TOY STORY association. (I also wanted to see a second one, myself.)

I think it's kind of telling that their next sequels are to older movies/legacy favorites. INSIDE OUT turns nine years old when the sequel comes out, that's just wild... I mean, outside of the newer movies and the pre-2010 favorites, there's not much else to do. BRAVE seemed like a decent candidate for a part two, but after everything that went down with that movie? It didn't seem like it had much of a future beyond its solid run in 2012, despite Merida's induction into the "Disney Princess" line. GOOD DINOSAUR lost money, and COCO really doesn't need a sequel.

So they've only got two pools to pull from: Either most of the pre-2010s movies (there's no way A BUG'S LIFE 2 happens), or the post-Lasseter movies.

Also, a Pixar filmmaker retweeted this, which is mocking the rumors...

So, yeah, it seems like a big bowl of bunk to me.