Two years after its release (and its success) in theaters worldwide, Disney still plans to extend the “Encanto” experience. One of its producers confirms it again today, without being able to say more about the form it will take.
Where we haven’t finished talking about Bruno. But in what form?
Released worldwide in November 2021, Encanto grossed $256.8 million worldwide and attracted 3,366,180 spectators in France. Which, casually, was no small feat in this Covid period.
The first animated film from the Disney or Pixar stable to be shown exclusively in theaters since the start of the pandemic (Raya and the Last Dragon was available simultaneously on Disney+), this cheerful musical comedy with South American accents has built its long-term success. And its soundtrack freaked out the charts, largely thanks to the song “Let’s not talk about Bruno”.
That was all it took for Disney to follow through on its ideas. As early as February 2022, then-CEO Bob Chapek presented Encanto as the starting point for a new franchise, without giving further details. The manager has since given way at the studio to Bob Iger, and the ambition visibly remains the same according to producer Yvette Merino.
“We work closely with our friends in publishing and consumer products to ensure we [en] sure, but there are always different ideas, needs and desires so that [la franchise] stay alive”she declares to The Direct.
“I don’t have anything official to announce, but I love the world of Encanto and can’t wait to see it expand within the company.”
“We were blown away by the reaction [qu’il a suscitée] and the fact that so many spectators recognize themselves in Encanto. We are studying different ways to keep this universe alive. I know it was teased during D23 that some Encanto was coming soon, perhaps in one of the parks. And we love it…”
When will we talk about Bruno again?
Beyond the new confirmation of the importance of Encanto to Disney, we are not much further along on the subject.
Will the franchise return to the cinema? Will we be entitled to a prequel about Bruno’s youth on Disney+? A series of short films? The possibility of having lunch in Casa Madrigal at Disneyland? A little of all that? Response in the months (years?) to come.
In the meantime, you can (re)see Encanto on M6, Friday November 3 at 9:10 p.m. This will be the first free-to-air broadcast of the Oscar-winning film, whose songs were written by the in-demand Lin-Manuel Miranda, and in which all members of a family are given magical powers. Except Mirabel…