Disney Takes the Stage in Las Vegas

Walt Disney Studios closed out the studio presentations at CinemaCon 2026 at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas on Thursday, drawing over 4,000 industry attendees for a showcase of upcoming theatrical releases. Stars and filmmakers from all seven of the company's production studios were on hand to screen exclusive footage and make major announcements.

Alan Bergman, Chairman of Disney Entertainment Studios, kicked off the afternoon with a striking declaration: the three biggest Hollywood films of 2025 all came from Disney.

Three Billion-Dollar Hits in One Year

• Zootopia 2: Nearly $1.9 billion globally — the biggest Hollywood animated film of all time
• Avatar: Fire and Ash: Nearly $1.5 billion, pushing the Avatar franchise past $6.7 billion total
• Lilo & Stitch: Surpassed the $1 billion mark

The result: Disney ranked No. 1 at the global box office for nine of the past ten years, earning close to $6.6 billion in 2025 — over $2 billion more than its nearest competitor.

"At all seven of our studios, it's about high-quality storytelling with heart and humor that resonates around the world," Bergman said. "And there's nobody that does it like Disney."

Why It Matters

In an era when streaming continues to challenge theatrical exhibition, Disney's results carry a message for the entire industry. The studio's seven-studio portfolio has produced 37 billion-dollar grossing titles — four times as many as any other studio. Disney also keeps its films in theaters longer, averaging 57 days per title.

Head of Theatrical Distribution Andrew E. Cripps introduced Infinity Vision, Disney's new certification initiative for premium large format (PLF) screens, underscoring the studio's commitment to the theatrical experience.

2026 Lineup: Originals and Sequels in Tandem

Already in 2026, 20th Century Studios' Send Help and Pixar's Hoppers have both performed well with critics and audiences. Hoppers crossed $350 million globally, posting the biggest domestic debut for an original animated film since Coco in 2017.

On May 1, The Devil Wears Prada 2 arrives — 20 years after the original became a cultural phenomenon. A special video message from star Anne Hathaway (soon to be named a Disney Legend) was played exclusively for CinemaCon attendees, generating enormous buzz for the reunion of Meryl Streep and Hathaway.