D23 Expo, Day 1: Star Wars and Marvel explode onto Disney+

Disney is doing it big this year at its D23 Expo, a convention dedicated to all things Disney! I’m lucky enough to be nerding out here this year. Between the epic cosplay (there is a Jafar/Darth Vader walking around here), the hardcore fans camping out overnight, and of course, the panels, D23 is definitely the place to be this weekend.

Even on the first day, I’ve seen so much already. One of the most immediate ironies, and the subject of plentiful memes, are the many posters and such featuring Spider-Man, this despite the recent news that the character as played by Tom Holland can no longer appear in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. This poster welcomes you as soon as you walk into the Anaheim convention center:

"Poster at D23 Expo. from Spiderman"

In happier news, there is plenty of Star Wars stuff going around D23, like these Kylo Ren and Stormtrooper posters:

"Kylo Ren and Troopers posters spotted at D23 (credit to savannahjai on Twitter) from StarWarsLeaks"

And that’s not even the coolest thing. Just look at this Mandalorian costume:

"The mandolorian from StarWarsLeaks"

Speaking of which, I went to the Disney+ panel today and saw Jon Favreau reveal the first trailer and introducing the cast. It was amazing.

While watching that trailer I almost forgot that this isn’t a movie, but rather a TV series. It literally felt like an official Star Wars movie trailer. That’s how good the production values are.

Sticking with Star Wars, did everyone read about the hotel ship that will be at the Walt Disney World resort? Every time I think things can’t get better, I’m proven wrong:

"Walt Disney World hotel ship revealed – The Halcyon from StarWarsLeaks"

tar Wars: Rise of Skywalker is heading to theaters in December and will mark the end of the Skywalker saga. While roaming the show floor, you can check out a ton of stuff that will be seen in the upcoming movie, like a First Order Jet Trooper:

"First Order Jet Trooper from StarWarsLeaks"

It was fun to see the reaction of fans during the Disney+ panel, especially with the anticipation of The Mandalorian trailer. But there was plenty more where Lucasfilm was involved. The Clone Wars is hitting Disney+ in February; I feel like I’m still processing all the screams of joy that came with the announcement.

Last week, another announcement broke the internet: that Ewan McGregor would be returning to the role of Obi-Wan Kenobi in an original Disney+ series. McGregor came out during the panel to make it official: HE’S BACK! Hands down my favorite part of the Disney+ panel.

And then there’s everything Marvel brought to the panel. Let’s see…we’re getting Ms. Marvel, She-Hulk, and Moon Knight shows on the streaming service.

Fun fact: Ever since the news broke that Kit Harington is joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe, people are speculating he may be in Moon Knight.

Anyway, they showed us quick teases of each series. She-Hulk got some enormous applause.

You all remember the opening credits of Marvel’s Daredevil with Lady Justice, right? Well, the tease for She-Hulk involved Lady Justice (she’s a lawyer in the comics), and some people thought we were getting some sort of Daredevil reveal. People around me were jumping up and down over this thought, but of course learning it was She-Hulk was just as awesome, if not more so.

Suffice to say, the Marvel and Star Wars portion of the Disney+ left us all breathless. There’s nothing quite like getting to see all these things amidst 6,000 other screaming fans. I mean, just look at this lineup of Marvel Disney+ shows!

"Marvel shows that were announced during the Disney plus panel. from D23Expo"

What If…? may have been my favorite part of Disney’s presentation. The clip they showed us revealed what the Marvel Cinematic Universe might look like if things would have gone differently. Like, what if instead of Captain America we had Captain Carter (she looks so badass holding that shield with the flag of England on it)? Haley Atwell came out on stage for the occasion to to talk a bit about it! Such great fun, guys!

This panel also spotlighted movies like Noelle starring Bill Hader and Anna Kendrick, the show Diary of a Female President starring Gina Rodriguez, a new Lizzie McGuire series with Hillary Duff reprising her role, and much more. Personally, I was a hot emotional mess seeing both Gina Rodriguez and Hillary Duff on stage. I cannot wait to see the return of Lizzie McGuire.

My giddy, Disney-loving heart was also excited to see the first trailer for the Lady and the Tramp live-action movie, which I have to admit wasn’t exactly what I was expecting. Was it me or did the dog that plays Tramp seem a bit jarring when he started talking? I can report, however, that the real-life dogs (that were rescued from a shelter) are incredibly adorable and were brought out on stage!

I had a blast at D23, and it’s only Day 1. I can’t wait to see what Day 2 brings. I’ll particularly looking forward to the Walt Disney Studios Presents panel, which will include Marvel, Lucasfilm, and Disney Studios live-action films along with Pixar and Disney Animation. Maybe we’ll get a sneak peek at Rise of Skywalker or bear witness to some epic Marvel announcement, or better yet, Frozen 2! Given how things have been so far, anything can happen.

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