The Walt Disney Company showcased its world class brands driven by powerful storytelling and popular franchises at Upfront 2024 event that featured over 150 of the biggest stars, and leaned into the company’s unique ability to inspire nostalgia across generations, connecting consumers around the world.

At the event, held in New York on May 14, Rita Ferro, Disney’s President of Global Advertising Sales (in the picture), highlighted how the company delivers for advertisers with its revolutionary and innovative approach to technology, and how it delivers for fans by harnessing the power of the Disney ecosystem to provide an unparalleled experience across all platforms.

Introduced by two-time Oscar winner Emma Stone, according to a media statement put out by Disney, the Upfront presentation began with the Walt Disney Company’s Chief Executive Officer Bob Iger who, three decades after his last Upfront appearance, spoke on the ever-growing power of Disney.

 “Disney is the embodiment of creative excellence, of great and bold storytelling, of quality, and innovation,” he stressed.

Welcomed by a special animated clip of ‘Family Guy’, Ferro jumped from the screen to the stage to accentuate Disney’s unmatched reach and impact. “One in two people connect with Disney around the world every single day,” she chipped in.

Featuring A-list talent and creatives from its award-winning content across ABC, ABC News, Disney+, Disney Television Studios, ESPN, FX, Hulu, National Geographic, Onyx Collective, Walt Disney Studios, and more, the global entertainment powerhouse previewed upcoming programming in the main presentation hall, taking over 350 feet of linear LED tiles and four cosmic hero screens in front of nearly 4,000 guests.

In the world of TV advertising, the Upfront is an old practice of buying and selling TV advertising time months in advance. Traditionally, these deals take place in the spring of each year, involving ad spots that would air in the coming television broadcast year. Upfronts were traditionally used by TV networks to unveil their fall programming slates, but as streaming has upended the model for TV and film, the presentations have followed from streaming companies too, apart from traditional media companies like Disney combining all their assets in Upfront presentations.

Multiple Oscar award winner actor Stone, while introducing the Disney Upfront, said, “Today, I think we’re incredibly fortunate to have a captain like Bob Iger at the helm of Walt’s studio, navigating the company through a changing landscape of innovation and technology, while ensuring that the magical essence of imagination and storytelling are at the heart of everything.”

And, in a special moment, premiere dates were also announced for the eagerly awaited Marvel Studios’ series, ‘Agatha All Along’ and ‘Daredevil: Born Again’. Sharing the news on-stage were members of the star-studded casts, including Kathryn Hahn, Patti LuPone, Joe Locke, Charlie Cox, and Vincent D’Onofrio.

The witchy, mysterious series, featuring Hahn, will debut on September 18 with two episodes on Disney+ and ‘Daredevil: Born Again’ comes to Disney+ in March 2025. Marvel fans were also surprised with an exclusive first look at ‘Ironheart’, featuring Dominique Thorne and Anthony Ramos, set to arrive on Disney+ next year.

The presentation ended with a fiery roast from Jimmy Kimmel, a staple of Disney’s Upfront, who, with his tongue firmly in cheek, said, “Remember when Netflix thought they were above all this? They came in — destroyed commercial television — and now — guess what they want to sell you? Commercials on television.”