4 – Breaking News & Latest Updates 2026
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Disney

Once the public face of squeaky-clean, harmless family entertainment, the Walt Disney Corporation has evolved into a widespread conglomerate known as much for the properties it controls as the films it produces. With subsidiaries including Marvel Studios, Lucasfilm, National Geographic, A&E, 20th Century Fox, ESPN, Hulu, and Pixar, Disney has a commanding control of some of the world’s most lucrative franchises, plus an extensive library of film and TV classics. Its streaming service Disney+ signals a new interest in controlling its own online distribution, setting aside decades of licensing partnerships. Follow along with The Verge as we look at Disney’s new films and shows, and its strategies for dominating the box office and the streaming dollar.

Richard Lawler
Richard Lawler
Disney’s deal to buy the rest of Hulu from Comcast is finally done.

While Comcast / NBCUniversal argued for a Hulu valuation that could’ve cost Disney another $5 billion on top of the $8.6 billion it had already paid, a third-party appraiser reached a number much closer to Disney’s. That ended their dispute -- simmering since 2019 -- for only an extra $438.7 million, as reported by THR and Axios.

Bob Iger said this clears the way for deeper integration between Hulu and Disney Plus ahead of the launch of ESPN’s direct-to-consumer streaming service in the fall.

Disney 8-K - June 9th, 2025

[otp.tools.investis.com]

Charles Pulliam-Moore
Charles Pulliam-Moore
Riri Williams has been in the lab cooking.

The latest trailer for Marvel’s Ironheart Disney Plus series is (thankfully) light on plot details, but it’s chock full of snazzy shots of Riri Williams’ latest suit, which seems like it’s going to be able to channel magical energies when the show premieres on June 24th.

Richard Lawler
Richard Lawler
More Disney layoffs.

Deadline reports on another round of mass layoffs at Disney, affecting hundreds of people. “...across divisions of Disney Entertainment, including marketing for both film and television as well as television publicity, casting and development,” as well as corporate financing.

This latest round comes just weeks after 200 employees were laid off in the TV and ABC News divisions.

Charles Pulliam-Moore
Charles Pulliam-Moore
Pixar’s Elio has a gorilla fight question of his own.

While you may have forgotten that Elio is hitting theaters next month, the film’s latest trailer makes it seem like Pixar has been listening to the ridiculous 100 men vs 1. gorilla hypothetical fight people have been debating about for the past few weeks.

Dominic Preston
Dominic Preston
Google Find Hub is turning bounty hunter.

Alongside a shiny rebrand and airline integration, Google is expanding the range of trackers in its Find Hub network. But not with boring practicalities like better battery or more accurate tracking — no, we get Baby Yoda, thanks to a new set of Disney-themed tags from Pixbee.

A screenshot of a Google presenter next to an image of a Baby Yoda Bluetooth tracker.
Screenshot: Google / Dominic Preston
Emma Roth
Emma Roth
Disney CEO Bob Iger says the successs of Thunderbolts* reflects a more focused Marvel.

During Disney’s earnings call on Wednesday, Iger admitted the company “lost a little focus” by making too many Marvel films. He added that Thunderbolts* is the “first and best” example of a more consolidated and focused Marvel:

We all know that in our zeal to flood our streaming platform with more content, that we turned to all of our creative engines, including Marvel, and had them produce a lot more. We’ve also learned over time that quantity does not necessarily beget quality.

Thunderbolts* is Marvel’s latest attempt at clawing out of an existential void

The MCU’s new crossover tentpole is focused on trauma, bad jokes, and getting the movie franchise back on solid footing.

Charles Pulliam-Moore
Charles Pulliam-Moore
Charles Pulliam-Moore
See you at the Powerline concert.

It has been 30 years since A Goofy Movie first hit theaters, and to celebrate the film’s anniversary, Disney just uploaded an immersive, virtual reality version of the Powerline concert sequence that features 360 degree audio and a handful of new easter eggs.

Andrew Liszewski
Andrew Liszewski
The Rocky Horror Picture Show is getting a 4K restoration for its 50th anniversary.

Fifty years after The Rocky Horror Picture Show premiered in 1975, the Walt Disney Studios Restoration team has overseen a 10-month project that included a “meticulous digital scan and preservation process that ensures every frame of the cult classic is presented with unprecedented clarity and vibrancy.”

The 4K restoration will also feature a “newly mixed Dolby Atmos audio track” and a restored version of the film’s original mono audio for fans wanting the most authentic experience.

A promotional still from The Rocky Horror Picture Show.
The Rocky Horror Picture Show will hit theaters again later this year and will get a 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray release.
Image: The Walt Disney Company
Andor’s second season traces the long arc of Star Wars’ revolutionary history

Andor’s final chapter feels like a series of mini-movies about how wars for freedom are won in fits and starts.

Charles Pulliam-Moore
Wes Davis
Wes Davis
Here are some details about Ahsoka season 2.

Hayden Christensen will return to Ahsoka as Anakin Skywalker and rebel commander Admiral Ackbar will go “head-to-head” with Grand Admiral Thrawn, series creator Dave Filoni told the audience at Star Wars Celebration in Japan last night.

That’s according to Deadline, which also writes that the series will feature Rory McCann as the fallen Jedi Baylen Skol, following the May 2023 death of actor Ray Stevenson.

Charles Pulliam-Moore
Charles Pulliam-Moore
Darth Maul is getting an animated Disney Plus series.

It’s been a while since Darth Maul last appeared Star Wars Rebels, but during this year’s Star Wars Celebration, Luscasfilm announced that the horned Sith is set to star in a new animated Disney Plus series due out in 2026.

Charles Pulliam-Moore
Charles Pulliam-Moore
Daredevil: Born Again season 2 is probably dropping early next year.

Though Disney Plus and Marvel haven’t officially announced when the second of Daredevil: Born Again will debut, showrunner Dario Scardapane seems fairly confident in a recent Instagram post that it’s happening next March.

Why Doctor Who’s latest robot threat is a dangerous AI: ‘this is what’s happening’

Doctor Who showrunner Russell T Davies sees the new season’s first villain as a reflection of our times.

Charles Pulliam-Moore
Doctor Who’s new companion is going to keep him on his toes

Doctor Who stars Ncuti Gatwa and Varada Sethu open up about how Miss Belinda Chandra is going to shake up the series.

Charles Pulliam-Moore
Charles Pulliam-Moore
Charles Pulliam-Moore
“No Baby Yoda, No Andor.”

While fans of Andor and The Mandalorian are busy arguing with one another about which is the superior Star Wars spinoff, Tony Gilroy is out here telling Empire what should be obvious to anyone with a basic understanding of how franchises work:

“The success of The Mandalorian gave us the platform to jump off. Their success is what would fuel the whole thing. I mean, no Baby Yoda, no Andor. Seriously. Don’t think that we don’t know that.”

Richard Lawler
Richard Lawler
Trump’s censor in chief targets Disney for a DEI investigation.

As reported by the New York Times and CNBC, FCC chair Brendan Carr has followed up on a previous threat against Disney in a new letter (pdf). Now he says its enforcement bureau will investigate to see if it’s “violating FCC equal employment opportunity regulations by promoting invidious forms of DEI discrimination.”

Along with an administration-wide push to remake government and industry that targets the catch-all buzzword, Carr has said it will be a focus for merger and acquisition approvals, and has begun inquiries into other companies.

“Dear Mr. Iger, I am writing to inform you that I have asked the FCC’s Enforcement Bureau to open an investigation into Disney and ABC. In particular, I want to ensure that Disney and ABC have not been violating FCC equal employment opportunity regulations by promoting invidious forms of DEI discrimination. While I have seen reports that Disney recently walked back some of its DEI programs, significant concerns remain.”
FCC letter sent to Disney on March 27th.
Image: Brendan Carr (FCC)
Emma Roth
Emma Roth
Disney Plus now lets you remove titles from your Continue Watching list.

If you’re tired of a family member messing up your Continue Watching queue, you can now remove TV shows and movies by pressing and holding your remote’s select button on Apple TV and hitting “Remove.” You can also find the option within the three-dot menu next to a show on the iOS app and the web.

Disney says this feature is coming to more platforms “in the coming weeks.”

GIF: Disney
Charles Pulliam-Moore
Charles Pulliam-Moore
Andor welcomes you to the Resistance.

A Death Star is coming together in the latest trailer for Andor’s final season, and every member of the Resistance seems to know exactly what needs to be done to take the thing out.

Richard Lawler
Richard Lawler
Hasbro is reportedly working on a new Power Rangers TV show for Disney Plus.

That’s according to The Wrap, which says the showrunners from Percy Jackson and the Olympians are in line to produce the show. This adds one more to the list of rumored Hasbro IP adaptations we’ve heard about, like the in-development live-action film and TV “universe” based on Magic: The Gathering, a Monopoly movie, new Clue projects, and a D&D series with Netflix.

You can get four months of Disney Plus and Hulu for just $12You can get four months of Disney Plus and Hulu for just $12
Brandon Widder and Sheena Vasani
Charles Pulliam-Moore
Charles Pulliam-Moore
Andor’s first three episodes are streaming on YouTube.

To get folks hyped up for the upcoming debut of Andor’s second season on Disney Plus April 22nd, Disney has put the show’s entire first season on Hulu and uploaded its first three episodes on YouTube. Additionally, on March 13th, Andor creator Tony Gilroy will host a live, hour-long rewatch event streamed on YouTube “with select talent,” which better be code for “Diego Luna and national treasure Kathryn Hunter.”

Charles Pulliam-Moore
Charles Pulliam-Moore
Kirbyvision will dive deep into the life of comics giant Jack Kirby.

Jack Kirby, the iconic comics artist who co-created Marvel’s X-Men and Avengers, and originated DC’s New Gods, is the subject of Kirbyvision, a new documentary from director Ricki Stern (Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work, UFOs: Investigating the Unknown).

According to Stern, the doc is her way of pushing for Kirby to finally receive some of the recognition he deserves as the creative wellspring companies like Disney and Warner Bros. Discovery are still drawing from.

Charles Pulliam-Moore
Charles Pulliam-Moore
Another day, another round of Disney layoffs.

Disney is reportedly laying off 200 employees (about 6 percent of its workforce) from its ABC News Group and Disney Entertainment Networks units.

The latest round of firings will impact ABC’s 20/20 and Nightline news magazine shows, whose production teams are being consolidated into a single unit. And Disney also plans to wind down 538, which the company bought back in 2018.

Correction: Nate Silver left 538 in 2023.

Daredevil: Born Again is a rough reboot with a promising future

Disney Plus’ new Daredevil series is an uneven reboot that’s fighting to leave its past behind.

Charles Pulliam-Moore