The thing about The Walt Disney Company’s current model for producing films is that they are able to use their franchise formula to forecast out years in advance. This helps Disney attract top talent behind and in front of the camera since they know what the future of their movie franchise looks like and also helps Disney operate as the 800lb gorilla that other studios will have to avoid if they don’t want Disney to eat all the box office bananas for these weekends.
A new slew of future dates were just released. Of note, Disney has pushed back the live-action remake of Mulan two years from this fall to March 27, 2020. It also removed the gender switched Santa tale Noelle, which stars Anna Kendrick, Bill Hader, and Shirley MacLaine, from the schedule entirely. It’s believed it will eventually show up as a movie on Disney’s upcoming digital streaming service.
Disney also recently moved up Avengers: Infinity War from May 2 to April 27. It’s believed that Christopher Robin, which just debuted its teaser trailer, will stay on its previously release date – August 3, 2018.
This is all subject to change if Disney’s acquisition of 21st Century Fox does manage to go through. The release schedule is crowded now. It would be insanely crowded if you suddenly add another handful of studios with their own releases.
Previously announced
Dolphins (Disneynature) April 20, 2018
Solo: A Star Wars Story (Lucasfilm) May 5, 2018
Incredibles 2 (Pixar) June 15, 2018
Ant-Man and the Wasp (Marvel Studios) July 5, 2018
Christophre Robin (WDS) August 3, 2018
The Nutcracker and the Four Realms (WDS) November 2, 2018
Ralph Breaks the Internet (WDAS) November 21, 2018
Mary Poppins Returns (WDS) December 25, 2018
Captain Marvel (Marvel Studios) March 8, 2019
Dumbo (WDS) March 29, 2019
Untitled Avengers film (Marvel Studios) May 5, 2019
Aladdin (WDS) May 24, 2019
Toy Story 4 (Pixar) June 21, 2019
Frozen 2 (WDAS) November 27, 2019
Star Wars Episode IX (Lucasfilm) December 2019
Jungle Cruise (WDS) 2019
Disney’s future releases just announced
PENGUINS (Disneynature) on 4/19/19
UNTITLED DISNEY LIVE ACTION on 10/4/19
UNTITLED DISNEY LIVE ACTION on 11/8/19
UNTITLED DISNEY LIVE ACTION on 2/14/20
UNTITLED PIXAR ANIMATION previously 3/13/20 moves to 3/6/20
UNTITLED DISNEY LIVE ACTION previously 4/3/20 moves to 5/29/20
UNTITLED MARVEL previously 8/7/20 moves to 7/31/20 (likely Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3)
UNTITLED DISNEY LIVE ACTION on 10/9/20
UNTITLED DISNEY LIVE ACTION on 12/23/20
UNTITLED DISNEY LIVE ACTION on 2/12/21
UNTITLED MARVEL on 5/7/21
UNTITLED DISNEY LIVE ACTION on 5/28/21
UNTITLED DISNEY LIVE ACTION on 7/9/21
UNTITLED MARVEL on 7/30/21
UNTITLED DISNEY LIVE ACTION on 10/8/21
UNTITLED MARVEL on 11/5/21
UNTITLED DISNEY LIVE ACTION on 12/22/21
UNTITLED MARVEL on 2/18/22
UNTITLED PIXAR on 3/18/22
UNTITLED MARVEL on 5/6/22
UNTITLED DISNEY LIVE ACTION on 5/27/22
UNTITLED PIXAR on 6/17/22
UNTITLED DISNEY LIVE ACTION on 7/8/22
UNTITLED MARVEL on 7/29/22
UNTITLED DISNEY LIVE ACTION on 10/7/22
UNTITLED DISNEY LIVE ACTION on 11/4/22
UNTITLED DISNEY ANIMATION on 11/23/22
UNTITLED DISNEY LIVE ACTION on 12/16/22
UNTITLED DISNEY LIVE ACTION on 2/17/23
Presumably some of those live-action Disney films are are the new Star Wars series Disney has hired Rian Johnson to write and the second series the Game of Thrones creators are writing. I suspect some of those 2022 movies will be pushed back to 2023 as that’s a lot of films for one year for Disney which has been targeting the 7 to 8 movies a year range.
What grade would you give The Walt Disney Company’s management of it’s film library and future film releases?