As A Latina, I Should Be Excited For Coco 2, But I Have Some Concerns. Here's Why

Look, I'd usually be excited about something like this…but I can't help but wonder if Pixar is making a mistake with Coco 2.

I'm sure you're confused if you read that and haven't heard the news. But, that is right—Coco 2 is in the works, and it already has a release window for 2029, so it won't be ready for the 2025 movie schedule.

As a Latina who loves her culture, I should be excited about this. I mean, I'm the kind of person who loves anything related to her culture, who will recommend the best Latino movies or the best Latino TV shows for anyone to watch because that's just who I've always been.

There's something about this sequel that bugs me. It takes my concerns to new heights, and I have to talk about it.

I'm Worried About The Culture Getting Lost

I'm being fully open and honest here. I am terrified that this new film will lose the culture that made the first one so beautiful.

While I am not Mexican—I fully embrace being Puerto Rican—there were so many aspects of Coco that I loved and connected with, both when I first saw it way back in 2017 and now as an adult. Truthfully, it's one of those movies that has seriously impacted me and changed my perspective on not only how I view animated films but movies as a whole.

And now, they're planning on making a sequel…and I'm not super big on that.

Granted, it was confirmed a while ago, in a 2024 Quarterly Report (via CartoonBrew), that Disney (which Pixar is a part of) is going to lean on sequels. Heartbreak for the people who have original content they want to share aside, there are so many other movies that sequels could come from. Why this one?

Why bring back a movie that had the perfect representation of Latino culture all for it just to be used again? It reminds me so much of Moana 2.

While I could get into that since I finally watched Moana 2 on Disney+ recently, I won't. The only thing I'll bring up from that is that Moana 2 certainly took a lot of what made it unique in the first film—like the inclusion and fantastic representation of Polynesian culture—and placed that in the backseat in favor of gags that are so forgettable. I genuinely cannot remember one joke from that film aside from the chicken screaming, like it always does.

Sure, there are still fun aspects, but it was nowhere near as beautiful and well-produced as the first film. And I am so scared Coco 2 will lean in that direction.

And How Are We Going To Integrate the Afterlife Since Hector's Story Is Resolved?

This is another thing. There is literally no need to continue this story.

The first Coco ended in an utterly perfect way. Thanks to Miguel, Hector's legacy has been restored. His photo will be placed on the Ofrenda for ensuing generations. Mama Coco has passed on and has been reunited with her family. Music is being played again, and everyone is happy.

Where is their continuation of this story? What else could there be?

How on earth is Miguel going to find himself in the afterlife again? Is there someone else he needs to aid in crossing over? Is this going to go all morbid and jump eighty years into the future, where it's Miguel's time to cross over?

I don't know. Pixar really struck gold with the first movie and its storyline, and I don't think we'll get that again.

Pixar Tends To Make Good Sequels…But I'm Still Very Wary

Here's the thing, though. Pixar does make decent sequels. Granted, not all of them are great – I could have gone without all the Cars movies, or even Finding Dory or The Incredibles 2 (as much as I am excited for upcoming The Incredibles 3, I can't get enough of superheroes).

However, Inside Out 2 was a fantastic portrayal of anxiety. All of the Toy Story movies have moved me. With those films, however, there's also the fact that every movie was ended in a way that could lead to more. You could easily continue the story of Andy or Riley as they grew up. That's the power of growth. I don't see that with Coco unless somehow we jump forward in time or something else.

I'm just super concerned about the culture and everything else getting left behind in favor of the company's need to just trying to make money with a sequel. I want to be excited—really, I do. But I think for now, I'll look at it with wariness until I know exactly what we're getting ourselves into with this upcoming Pixar movie.