The Walt Disney Company made a star-studded presentation at its 2026 Upfront event, with Chief Executive Officer Josh D’Amaro making his debut appearance at the annual showcase alongside more than 100 on-stage celebrities and entertainers.
Hollywood actress Anne Hathaway opened the event by introducing D’Amaro.
In a press communique, the company said the event featured appearances by several prominent figures, including Robert Downey Jr., Lindsay Lohan, Shaquille O’Neal, Ewan McGregor, Olivia Colman and Quinta Brunson.
The presentation concluded with a musical performance by Grammy-winning singer and actor Olivia Rodrigo.
Disney president of global advertising Rita Ferro highlighted the company’s entertainment and sports portfolio and said Disney would bring together major live events in 2027, including the College Football Playoff Championship Game, the Grammy Awards, Super Bowl LXI and the Academy Awards.
Among the key announcements, Good Morning America co-anchor Robin Roberts revealed that comedian Conan O’Brien would return to host the 99th Academy Awards.
FX also announced that actor Paul Anthony Kelly would join the 13th instalment of American Horror Story. Cast members including Sarah Paulson, Evan Peters and Angela Bassett appeared on stage during the reveal.
Disney additionally unveiled first looks from several upcoming projects, including FX drama Cry Wolf, Ryan Murphy thriller The Shards, Hulu drama The Land, limited series Count My Lies and drama series The Spot.
At the sports segment of the presentation, former NFL stars Peyton Manning, Eli Manning, Troy Aikman and others appeared on stage ahead of Super Bowl LXI coverage on ESPN and ABC.
Disney also announced expanded NFL-related programming and distribution plans involving NFL Network, NFL RedZone and the NFL Fantasy App.
Actor Sigourney Weaver announced that Avatar: Fire and Ash would launch on Disney+ on June 24, 2026, while actor Rosario Dawson said Ahsoka Season 2 would premiere in early 2027.
Marvel stars Tom Hiddleston and Paul Bettany joined Downey Jr. on stage during the Marvel segment, where Bettany announced that VisionQuest would debut on Disney+ on October 14, 2026.
The presentation also featured appearances by The Simpsons characters Homer, Marge, Bart and Lisa Simpson, who introduced actors Zach Braff, Donald Faison and Sarah Chalke during a segment on the revival of comedy series Scrubs.
Former NBA player O’Neal later appeared alongside Kenny Smith and NBA Rookie of the Year Cooper Flagg during the sports showcase.
The event concluded with late-night host Jimmy Kimmel introducing Rodrigo for the closing performance.
