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The new "Monsters University" short film "Party Central," Mickey Mouse short film "Get a Horse!" and the first 10 minutes of a "Toy Story" special airing on the company's ABC network this October were also screened for fans in attendance. Thousands of attendees, some dressed as Disney characters, began lining up early Friday morning to be among the first inside the extravaganza, which includes special musical performances, presentations and previews of upcoming projects. However, the Force apparently won't be with the 45,000 expected D23 attendees. The company's chairman and CEO blasted any speculation the expo would include a peek at the next "Star Wars" film. "We're just as excited as you are about 'Star Wars: Episode VII,'" Bob Iger told the crowd at the beginning of Friday's presentation. "In fact, we're speechless. At least, we're going to be somewhat speechless at this expo because we aren't ready to share too many details just yet." Disney bought George Lucas' Lucasfilm empire last year for $4.06 billion and plans to unleash a new "Star Wars" trilogy and two spin-off films beginning in 2015 with "Star Wars: Episode VII," which is being directed by J.J. Abrams and written by Michael Arndt. Among the live-action films expected to be teased during a Saturday presentation are "Thor: The Dark World," "Captain America: Winter Soldier," "Saving Mr. Banks" and "Tomorrowland." There might also be glimpses at "Maleficent," which stars Angelina Jolie as the "Sleeping Beauty" baddie, and new intergalactic and superheroic exploits from Marvel.
Patterned after San Diego's wildly popular Comic-Con, the biannual D23 Expo, which Disney launched in 2009, isn't just about movies. On the show floor, attendees can snap up exclusive merchandise, trade collectible pins and meet stars from Disney Channel properties like "Teen Beach Movie" and "Sofia the First." There will also be presentations about Disney history, theme park attractions and video games. The event could also offer an update on "Avatar" land at Disney's Animal Kingdom theme park in Orlando, Fla. The company announced in 2011 that it had struck a deal with filmmaker James Cameron to build attractions based on the top grossing film of all time, which is set on the lush alien world of Pandora. He's currently working on three sequels to "Avatar." ___ Online:
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