Stream of the Day
‘Disney Worldbuilders’ takes stories beyond screens
A new documentary explores how filmmakers and imagineers transform fictional universes into physical experiences.
Disney Worldbuilders asks what makes an imagined universe believable when audiences can walk through the gates and explore the setting for themselves.
The feature documentary is streaming on Disney+, following a debut screening at the D23 fan event earlier this month (16 August 2026). The new title traces the journey from films and characters to theme-park lands, attractions and other immersive experiences.
The documentary examines the memories and creative influences behind some of Disney’s biggest worlds. The contributors discuss the details needed to translate stories from Pixar, Marvel, Lucasfilm, Walt Disney Animation Studios and the Avatar universe into places that visitors can enter.
The featured storytellers include filmmaker James Cameron, Lucasfilm president and chief creative officer Dave Filoni, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige, filmmaker Jon Favreau, Pixar chief creative officer Pete Docter, Walt Disney Animation Studios chief creative officer Jared Bush, and Frozen writer and director Jennifer Lee.
Disney leaders Josh D’Amaro and Bob Iger provide further perspective on the company’s approach to worldbuilding. The documentary offers glimpses of lands, attractions and experiences that remain under development.
Disney Worldbuilders is directed by Oscar- and Emmy-nominated filmmaker Leslie Iwerks, whose previous projects include The Pixar Story, The Imagineering Story and Disneyland Handcrafted. Her connection to Disney stretches across generations: her grandfather, Ub Iwerks, co-created Mickey Mouse with Walt Disney.
“I wanted to understand what ignites the imaginations of the storytellers behind some of the world’s most beloved stories,” says Iwerks. “As I sat down with each of them, I discovered a common thread: they often traced their creative journeys back to a single childhood moment—walking through the gates of Disneyland and realising that impossible dreams could become real. It’s a feeling I know well, and one that has shaped my own journey. My hope is that audiences leave with that same sense of possibility and inspiration.”
