Harrison Ford in 'Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom'. The actor presented the new trailer for the fifth 'Indiana Jones' film at Disney's D23 Expo. Photo: Paramount Pictures
Harrison Ford in 'Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom'. The actor presented the new trailer for the fifth 'Indiana Jones' film at Disney's D23 Expo. Photo: Paramount Pictures
Harrison Ford in 'Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom'. The actor presented the new trailer for the fifth 'Indiana Jones' film at Disney's D23 Expo. Photo: Paramount Pictures
Harrison Ford in 'Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom'. The actor presented the new trailer for the fifth 'Indiana Jones' film at Disney's D23 Expo. Photo: Paramount Pictures

Harrison Ford presents new 'Indiana Jones' at Disney expo with standing ovation


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An emotional Harrison Ford unveiled a new trailer for the highly anticipated fifth Indiana Jones film on the second day of Disney's biennial D23 Expo, choking up as he described the movie as "fantastic".

Thousands of fans from around the world flocked to the entertainment giant's biggest party held in Anaheim, California, to see their favourite characters brought to life and watch the first images of long-awaited movies and series.

The second day of the expo began with a preview of what Disney, Lucasfilm, Marvel and 20th Century Studios have in store for the coming months.

Ford, 80, received a standing ovation from some 6,000 attendees as he presented a teaser for the new Indiana Jones film, which also stars Phoebe Waller-Bridge.

"I'm very proud to say that this one is fantastic," said Ford, choking back tears.

"And this is one of the reasons," he added, pointing at Waller-Bridge.

"Keeping up with this guy is exhausting," replied the British actress.

'Very exciting'

Lucasfilm unveiled a teaser trailer for its popular space western series The Mandalorian, with actors Pedro Pascal, Giancarlo Esposito and Katee Sackhoff received warmly by the audience.

Another highlight was a trailer for the Star Wars series Andor, a Rogue One spinoff based on adventures of rebel spy character Cassian Andor, played by Diego Luna.

Mexico's Luna, also an executive producer on the project, addressed the audience in Spanish, to applause.

Other teasers featured Jude Law in Skeleton Crew, Christian Slater in Willow and Jon Favreau in Ahsoka.

Cosplay fans wore costumes as mothers from Disney films during the Walt Disney D23 Expo. AFP
Cosplay fans wore costumes as mothers from Disney films during the Walt Disney D23 Expo. AFP

There were also previews of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, out in 2023, with an all-star cast that includes Paul Rudd, Michelle Pfeiffer, Michael Douglas and Bill Murray, as well as of the Halloween special Werewolf by Night, starring Gael Garcia Bernal.

Marvel Studios pulled the curtain back on the second season of the series Loki, starring Tom Hiddleston, who flew in from Britain, where the episodes are being filmed, to attend the expo.

Fans also got a snapshot of The Marvels, starring Brie Larson, as well as a teaser for Thunderbolts, featuring Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Florence Pugh.

Finally, with the help of 3D glasses, attendees got to immerse themselves in the world of Avatar: The Way of Water, the long-awaited sequel to James Cameron's Avatar.

"I wasn't expecting this," said Peter Farrow, who travelled to Anaheim from San Francisco.

"I got here at five in the morning today and even with high expectations I didn't expect this, it's very exciting."

'We all accept each other'

The festivities began Friday at the vast Anaheim Convention Centre.

Celebrating its centennial, Disney said it will include "100 Years of Wonder" in its logo and introduced fans to Disney100: The Exhibition, which tells the story of the company founded in October 1923 by Walt Disney and his brother Roy Disney.

A prominent part of the exhibition: the Mickey Mouse One, an aircraft that belonged to Walt Disney himself.

Thousands of fans of "the happiest place on Earth" lined up early to get a taste of all on offer.

Thousands of fans attended the Walt Disney D23 Expo. AFP
Thousands of fans attended the Walt Disney D23 Expo. AFP

Princesses and Peter Pan, witches, storm troopers and an array of fantastical creatures filled the halls as the expo — normally held every two years but cancelled last year owing to the Covid-19 pandemic — returned.

"Feels like I've got to get emotional, because I've been so looking forward to come back," said actor Allen Waiserman, who arrived on opening day disguised as Cinderella's wicked stepmother.

Waiserman said he had worked for months on his outfit, and the transformation on Friday took five hours.

"It's not just about the Disney brand anymore. It's about all the fans that we've met, who become like family for us — who accept you for whoever you are," he said.

"We're just so happy to be back together."

D23 runs through Sunday.

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Our family matters legal consultant

Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026

1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years

If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.

2. E-invoicing in the UAE

Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption. 

3. More tax audits

Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks. 

4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime

Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.

5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit

There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.

6. Further transfer pricing enforcement

Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes. 

7. Limited time periods for audits

Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion. 

8. Pillar 2 implementation 

Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.

9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services

Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations. 

10. Substance and CbC reporting focus

Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity. 

Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer

Updated: May 11, 2023, 7:07 AM