It's funny—Disney announces a new film and the air shifts. Not the casual “another sequel” energy we've come to expect, but that crackle when the studio actually commits to an original. At this year's Destination D23 at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, the studio lifted the curtain on Hexed, a brand-new animated feature coming November 2026. No streaming caveats, no hedging—it's theatrical only. And in an age when “straight-to-Disney+” has become the safety net, that matters.
The premise? A teenage boy who's awkward in that Disney-coded way, paired with a Type-A mother who learns her son's quirks are magical—literally. Directed by Josie Trinidad (Ralph Breaks the Internet) and Jason Hand, the project already has an unusual emotional hook. Family dramas are familiar terrain for Disney, but the angle of mother and son sharing a journey into magic? That feels almost radical, especially for a studio whose canon is littered with missing mothers and fathers who barely make it to the first act.
The Weight of Lineage and Release Timing
Context is everything. Hexed will arrive one year after Zootopia 2, which lands on November 26, 2025. That's a strategic play: release the sure-fire sequel to draw crowds, then gamble on originality the following year. And Disney Animation Studios is calling Hexed their 64th animated feature—a number heavy with legacy. To follow Zootopia 2 with something that isn't a sequel or reboot is Disney signaling (perhaps to itself) that originality isn't dead, it's just… selectively rationed.
Adding to that weight: Frozen 3 looms in the near future. The pressure is immense—Disney originals are constantly measured against juggernauts. But maybe that's the beauty of Hexed: it doesn't have to compete with Elsa's ice palace. It's about one kid, one mom, and the chaos of finding out your weirdness is actually a superpower.
Destination D23: The Stage for a Reveal
If you've never been, Destination D23 is the opposite of the quick headline churn. It's Disney in its purest, most corporate-fanatic hybrid form. Panels about theme parks, deep dives into Disney+ strategy, merchandise that makes fans line up for hours—it's a multi-day immersion. And this weekend at Disney's Coronado Springs Resort in Orlando, Hexed was one of the crown jewels of the announcement slate.
Disney knew the placement was strategic: you don't just reveal an “original” at D23, you baptize it there. Among discussions of cruise lines and global park expansions, this film's logline got its moment of oxygen. And fans—diehards who treat these events like pilgrimages—reacted with the kind of buzz Disney rarely earns outside a franchise sequel.
Why Hexed Could Matter More Than You Think
We've seen Disney stretch the family narrative before (Turning Red on the Pixar side, Encanto just a few years back), but a mother-son magical partnership in the flagship Animation Studios line feels overdue. If Disney has been guilty of sanding down edges, Hexed hints at keeping some of them sharp—at least in its premise.
Will it land? Hard to say this far out. But the fact it's scheduled, dated, and placed firmly in theaters makes it a cultural marker. By November 2026, Disney will either have reaffirmed its ability to create new icons—or it will have learned, once again, how brutal the market is when originality dares to stand against brand familiarity.
What to Know About Disney's Hexed
An original, not a sequel
Disney Animation's 64th feature breaks from the current sequel-heavy cycle, setting up a fresh story about a boy, his mother, and magical upheaval.
Release is locked
Hexed will hit theaters in November 2026, with no Disney+ debut planned.
Creative leads have pedigree
Directors Josie Trinidad and Jason Hand bring insider Disney experience, having worked on projects like Ralph Breaks the Internet.
D23 gave it weight
Unveiled at Destination D23 (Orlando, August 2025), the announcement was positioned as one of the event's signature reveals.
Context in the slate
Hexed follows Zootopia 2 (November 26, 2025) and will precede Frozen 3, making it the risky original in a lineup otherwise dominated by proven IP.
Final Thought
Original Disney animation is rare air. It's not just the studio flexing muscle—it's them asking us to believe again, in something new, in a mother and son who stumble into magic. I don't know if Hexed will soar or stumble, but I know I'll be in that theater come November 2026. Because every once in a while, Disney reminds us why we still care.
What about you—are you more drawn to the sequels, or are you ready to see Disney risk it all on something untested?
