Disney is a behemoth force in the entertainment industry, although it’ll always be known for its beloved animated blockbusters. The latest of these hits is Encanto, which features killer songs by the great Lin-Manuel Miranda. But is Encanto getting a sequel? Disney may have hinted at another movie.
While there are countless animated Disney movies that remain engrained in pop culture, very few of them are given actual theatrical sequels. Encanto had a strong run in the box office, with the movie only getting more popular since it was released on Disney+. At Walt Disney Company’s recent earnings call, CEO Bob Chapek recently spoke about the success of Encanto as the “launch of a new franchise.” But does that mean a sequel could be on the way with Lin-Manuel Miranda and company?
The Disney earning call comes to us from BusinessWire, along with information and numbers that were included in that presentation. These calls are often devoured by the public, who try to look for clues regarding the future of properties like Star Wars or the Marvel Cinematic Universe. And with Encanto’s soundtrack trending on the billboard charts, fans are eager for any information about a possible sequel.
Of course, it’s more than possible that Bob Chapek simply misspoke. Or perhaps by calling Encanto a “franchise,” he was referring to ventures like digital shorts, theme park tie-ins, and merchandising. We’ll have to wait and see, but it would definitely make sense to strike while the iron is hot for Encanto, which is managing to break records.
Disney might not have produced a ton of theatrical sequels, but the studio dipped its toes into the water with Frozen II. That blockbuster ended up being a massive success, even living up to the hype of the original. Given that sequel’s critical and box office performance, perhaps we’ll see more of these projects moving forward.
As previously mentioned, Encanto has only increased in popularity since arriving straight to homes via Disney+. The surprise hit song has definitely been “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” which has managed to outperform Frozen’s “Let It Go.” That being said, the entire soundtrack is trending on the charts. What’s more, Lin-Manuel Miranda was just nominated for an Oscar for the song "Dos Oruguitas."
Aside from a movie sequel, there’s another Encanto follow-up that fans would be delighted to see. Namely, a new Broadway show. Given Lin-Manuel Miranda’s roots in the theater, it certainly seems like a match made in musical heaven. For his part, Miranda recently revealed that he’s got a longer finale number already written, should such a plan move forward. After all, Disney has previously brought movies to the stage like Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, Aladdin, and Frozen.
Encanto is streaming now on Disney+. Be sure to check out the 2022 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience.
