The best, worst, and most surprising moments of D23

If you’re anything like the myriad of people who looked at me baffled after I told them that I went to Disney’s D23 Expo last weekend, you’re probably wondering what the heck D23 is. Disney’s fan club “D23” stands for Disney ’23, referring to the year the animation studio started, and this year, the company that values its past more than any other, celebrated at its yearly fan event and product launch.

Being at D23 is akin to being at Comic-Con or the product launch for a tech event or television upfronts. Instead of pitching ad executives, investors, and theater groups to buy stocks and continue to put their faith in Disney, the corporation invites fans to be the center of attention. Across three days, the company trots out stars, executives, and cartoon characters to remind the fans who they make this for: Them.

This type of fan service is the least they can do. Disney doesn’t report crowd sizes, but The Orange County Register reports that 65,000 people came out in 2013. The Anaheim Convention Center, in beautiful Anaheim, California, blocks away from Disneyland, holds about 7,500 (this doesn’t count the thousands that didn’t get a seat) in their biggest halls, which were packed to the rafters for Disney’s biggest announcements, and no two attendees had the same Disney shirt.

So what did Disney have in store for these faithful, patient, and adoring fans? Well, let’s get into it.

Best: Indiana Jones and Avatar can’t come soon enough

After months of reports of how badly the visual effects artists are treated by Marvel and Disney, it’s harder than ever to excuse the lack of care being placed on special effects. To find out that CGI looks janky because of Marvel’s alleged toxic working conditions explains a lot, but shouldn’t make anyone feel better.

Obviously, effects aren’t everything, but aside from a few exceptions (Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and The Marvels), nothing in their presentation stood out. Ant-Man, Ironheart, Armor Wars, and Captain America: New World Order all either looked and/or felt like something we’ve seen before, using the same aesthetics that have turned the MCU into a pile of green and purple mush.

But some moments did break through the noise. Harrison Ford’s heartfelt assertion that this was his last time in the fedora was chief among them. For those of us who grew up on prickly Ford comments about acting and his participation in these populist franchises, it was stunning to see him so emotional and whistful about the franchise. Also, it didn’t hurt that the trailer really did look like a lot of fun. Nevertheless, the way Ford said, “I will not fall down for you again,” really did sit weirdly with the audience. Harrison Ford is 80. We as a society have to find a better, less aggressive way of showing appreciation for our aging stars.

Avatar: The Way Of Water was something totally different. Sure, the character designs are the same as in the last movie, and maybe it’s because it has been so long since a movie’s visual effects actually wowed someone, but the energy in the audience when the Avatar footage was palpable. Coupled with its state-of-the-art 3D technology, the world Cameron is creating looks immersive and believable. It certainly won’t convince haters, but for my money, it was the highlight of the weekend. The footage didn’t just excite the audience for Avatar 2, but for Avatar 4, when Cameron’s had another couple of years working with this technology.

Worst: Send The Little Mermaid to the bottom of the sea

By far the most disappointing footage of the weekend was The Little Mermaid: Murky, lifeless, and awkward footage of poor Halle Bailey, who has to endure some of the most repugnant, racist backlash to her casting so she could appear as Ariel in such a bland-looking remake. Disney really puts their actors on the frontlines of a hostile culture and then lets them down with these things, forcing them to withstand near-constant abuse for a lazy exercise in brand management.