David Farnor | On 13, Dec 2020

Disney unveiled a whole host of projects, programmes, remakes and sequels this week at its Investor Day event, including 10 Star Wars series and 10 Marvel shows. But among the announcements were also a wave of Disney animated series, some based around existing films and one strikingly original project.

Zootopia+ will head back to the fast-paced mammal metropolis of Zootopia in a short-form series directed by Trent Correy and Josie Trinidad. Zootopia+ dives deeper into the lives of some of the feature film’s characters, including Fru Fru, the newly married arctic shrew; Gazelle’s talented tiger dancers; and the sloth full of surprises, Flash. The short-form series debuts on Disney+ in Spring 2022.

Moana, The Series, coming to Disney+ in 2023, is a new long-form musical series that follows spirited voyager Moana as she ventures far beyond the reef. The studio is once again connecting with storytellers from the Pacific Islands to help tell the stories of wayfinding and other traditions brought to life for generations through oral storytelling.

Tiana, coming to Disney+ in 2023, is another long-form musical-comedy series featuring the extraordinary entrepreneur from The Princess and the Frog who’s now princess of the kingdom Maldonia. The all-new adventures explore both Maldonia and Tiana’s beloved hometown, New Orleans. Tiana is the first princess to have her own Walt Disney Animation Studios series.

Baymax, from Walt Disney Animation Studios, takes place in the fantastical city of San Fransokyo and features fan favorite healthcare bot, Baymax. Created by Don Hall, the Oscar-winning director of Big Hero 6, Baymax premieres on Disney+ in early 2022.

Most striking of all, though, is the original project Iwájú that isn’t based on an existing Disney film. The series is a first-of-its-kind collaboration between Walt Disney Animation Studios and Pan-African comic book entertainment company Kugali and its founders Tolu Olowofoyeku, Ziki Nelson and Hamid Ibrahim.

Iwájú, which roughly translates to “The Future” in the Yoruba language, is steeped in science fiction. The long-form series is set in Lagos, Nigeria, exploring deep themes of class, innocence and challenging the status quo.

Director Ziki Nelson said: “This show will combine Disney’s magic and animation expertise with Kugali’s fire and storytelling authenticity. Iwájú represents a personal childhood dream of mine to tell my story and that of my people.”

It will premiere on Disney+ in 2022.

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