Disney is hoping for a box office rebound built on sequels, prequels and

When Disney CEO Bob Iger stepped onto the stage at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California on Friday night, the crowd erupted. Some 12,000 Disney fans rose to their feet and cheered, leaving the 73 year-old executive grinning wide as he tried to quiet them back down.

“I was going to say good evening and thank you for that warm welcome, but that was more than a warm welcome,” Iger said to those gathered for Disney’s first showcase at its biannual D23 Expo.

It’s the first time in five years that Iger has attended the exposition event for Disney’s biggest fans, as he briefly retired from his position as chief executive for nearly two years before returning to the helm in November 2022.

His absence coincided with a downturn in Disney’s theatrical business which, like other studios was disrupted by pandemic shutdowns and dual Hollywood labor strikes. Yet, the company’s post-pandemic box office was also beset by executive decisions to increase content production to pad its fledgling streaming service Disney+. Iger himself has admitted on numerous occasions that Disney sacrificed quality for quantity and it was his goal upon returning to right the ship.

On Friday, he opened an explosive — sometimes literally, as Disney loves to use pyrotechnics — three-hour long presentation that detailed a host of theatrical films, television series and stage productions coming over the next few years.

As the company seeks to rebuild its reputation and recapture magic at the box office, it is relying heavily on existing, and beloved, franchises. And, when it does venture into new territory, it is tapping tried-and-true talent in front of and behind the camera.

Its latest Pixar film, “Inside Out 2,” is now the highest-grossing animated film of all time, topping $1.5 billion at the global box office. Its first R-rated Marvel Cinematic Universe flick — “Deadpool & Wolverine” — broke opening weekend records for an R-rated film and is set to surpass the $1 billion mark as early as this weekend.

To open Friday’s entertainment showcase, Auli’i Cravalho and Dwayne Johnson joined a crew of Polynesian dancers and drummers to perform a song from the upcoming “Moana 2.” The hotly anticipated sequel to 2016′s “Moana” arrives in theaters during the Thanksgiving holiday and is expected to become Disney’s third billion-dollar film released in 2024, according to box office analysts.

While the first film generated a little less than $700 million at the global box office, audience fervor for more “Moana” content is expected to drive high ticket sales in November. After all, it was the most streamed film of 2023.