Disney unveils star-packed 2026 lineup, bets on fandom for advertisers

Disney turned its 2026 Upfront into a pitch for scale, loyalty and live-event leverage, using a star-heavy stage show to argue that fandom still moves both audiences and ad budgets. The company presented its case from the North Javits Center in New York City, where Josh D’Amaro made his first Upfront appearance as Disney CEO and Anne Hathaway introduced him to the stage.

The company said more than 100 stars appeared on stage, with another 100-plus talent appearances supporting the showcase, a roster that included Robert Downey Jr., Lindsay Lohan, Shaquille O’Neal, Ewan McGregor, Olivia Colman and Quinta Brunson. Olivia Rodrigo added a surprise performance, underscoring Disney’s effort to frame the event as more than a sales meeting and more than a preview reel. It was a market signal: Disney wants advertisers to see its entertainment pipeline, its live moments and its talent bench as one connected package.

That package is central to Disney’s fight for ad dollars across streaming, broadcast and sports. Rita Ferro, president of global advertising, said the company’s advantage rests on trust, fandom and innovation. Disney also described its platform as a connected system combining content, data and technology for advertisers, a message aimed at media buyers looking for measurable reach across Disney+, Hulu, ABC, ESPN and theatrical franchises. In a fragmented market, Disney is selling not just inventory, but the promise that its biggest properties can still gather mass attention.

The company also looked beyond this year’s slate and into 2027, highlighting live-event inventory that included the College Football Playoff Championship Game, the GRAMMYs, Super Bowl LXI and the Oscars. Those properties are among the few remaining television moments that can still command a broad national audience in real time, making them especially valuable as live sports and appointment viewing become the clearest defenses against streaming fragmentation.

Leading into the presentation, Disney had already laid out its 2026 theatrical lineup with Hoppers on March 6, Ready or Not 2: Here I Come on March 20, The Devil Wears Prada 2 on May 1 and The Mandalorian and Grogu on May 22. The Upfront tied those releases to a broader commercial message: Disney is not just selling films and shows, but the scale, data and live-event gravity that keep advertisers spending.