Disney’s Encanto is getting ready to celebrate its second anniversary next month and, amid that, comes a slew of rumors about a potential sequel. While it wasn't an animated film that made $1 billion at the box office, it became a hit on Disney+ (like the more recent Elemental), cultivating a loyal fanbase. It’s likely that fans want to see more of the Madrigal family but, according to one of the movie's producers, the way fans interact with the magical brood next might be a bit different than they expect.
Though a direct sequel is most likely what devotees are after, it’ll probably be a while before a follow-up film hits theaters — if it ever does. After all, it took Walt Disney Studios six years to produce Frozen II, (and its predecessor was the biggest animated movie for the studio in a very long time). Still, those who love the Madrigals shouldn’t worry too much, because it seems like the creatives behind the movie are looking at other ways to bring them back. During an interview with The Direct, producer Yvett Merino had this to say:
There’s different—we’re working closely with our friends in publishing and consumer products to make sure—there’s always different ideas and needs and wants for, for it to stay alive out there.But I don’t have anything official to say, but I love the Encanto world and can’t wait to see it expand across the company.
By that statement, it seems the family could appear in a book of some sort. That would track, as Disney has a history of taking their animated films and expanding on them through children's literature. The 2021 film has such a great cast of characters, and it would be fun to see each of them get their own book to explore their powers. Or maybe even a cookbook full of Julieta’s recipes could work. Consumer products, on the other hand, mean more toys might be in the works. It would definitely be cool for kids (and kids-at-heart) to have an interactive Casa Madrigal to play with or collect.
Merchandise may not be what Encanto fans have in mind when they say they want more of the Madrigals in their life, but that approach is a solid start. It seems like whatever is coming, the team behind the positively reviewed movie wants to make sure it fits with the incredibly touching story they’ve already created. Yvett Merino continued:
I think we will continue to work on what that actually means. But we are so blown away by the reaction and how Encanto kind of connected with so many people. We continue to look at different ways that we can keep the world alive. I know they teased a little bit of destination D23 about something Encanto coming, possibly to one of the parks. And we love that…
Theme park attractions could happen sooner than fans think, given Disneyland’s massive expansion is making real progress. Not to mention, rumors have started swirling about the movie finding a home on the East Coast by way of Animal Kingdom. Imagineers might even have it easy since the film's composer, Lin-Manuel Miranda has a pretty great attraction idea he shared with the former Disney CEO Bob Chapek. While it should be said that nothing has been officially greenlit by Disney, it definitely seems that something is on the horizon, and I'm excited to see what it is.
For now, you can stream Encanto using a Disney+ subscription. And don’t forget to check out the emotional Once Upon A Studio short, which features the Madrigals back in action. Finally, keep an eye on our upcoming Disney movies list for any and all updates on future sequels or original flicks.
