It’s been months, and “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” has never stopped not only being stuck in my head, but being a straight up jam. Since Encanto hit Disney+ at the end of the year, the whole world has been catching on to the catchy banger, sending it to the top of music charts and making it one of the most popular Disney tracks of all time. There’s a mixture of reasons why “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” became a hit, but what I want to get into now is Bruno himself and why we need to talk about him more.
As seen in Encanto, Bruno is a member of the Madrigal family who is cast out by his family members and the great community he is a part of when his gift for seeing the future angers them. He’s able to see the misfortunes that will come up in their lives and after a few unfortunate events, Bruno disappeared – but remained a spicy story for the Madrigals to tell in his absence. Following the film, I believe Bruno would be a great central character to continue the movie’s story. I’ll get into why:
Bruno Is The Best Character In Encanto
Bruno, who is voiced by John Leguizamo in Encanto, may be the “black sheep” of the Madrigal family, but he’s also the most interesting and best character in the Disney flick. While Mirabel serves the purpose of being a relatable protagonist who feels like she cannot live up to her family’s other gifts, Bruno was dealing with similar circumstances a generation before in a different way. Bruno and Mirabel strengthen each other as characters because they represent the cycle within the Madrigal family of intense pressure being put on each other and feeling not good enough to be part of the clan.
Once John Leguizamo’s Bruno arrives on the scene in Encanto, he ties together the movie – both because he is the missing piece needed to save the family, and also because so many fun and unique things are done with his character. Disney depicts this isolated, lost man who hangs out with rats and sits at the table with his family through the walls in a way that is both affecting and hilarious.
Another Encanto Movie Could Explore The Family’s Past
While there are some Disney movies that don't need a sequel or spinoff, there’s so much of the world left to be explored after Encanto – and Disney chief Bob Chapek has already been caught calling it a franchise. Rather than developing a straight sequel with Mirabel as the core protagonist, however, a more exciting follow up would be seeing the spotlight move over to Bruno. Doing so would expand on the character's charisma and musical potential, and it would also provide opportunity to add more depth to the Madrigals.
Encanto ends with the family welcoming Bruno back into the fold. In another installment of the story, Bruno could be the perfect vehicle to explore the supporting characters further. We’ve explored Mirabel’s point of view, but through Bruno’s eyes we’d learn more about his relationship with his sisters, parents and perhaps he could learn more about his nieces – including some classic Disney flashbacks of the family in their younger years, perhaps including the birthday when Bruno gets his powers.
How Bruno Adapts His Powers Has Yet To Be Seen
Speaking of powers, Bruno’s powers are perhaps the most powerful of the family, and wouldn’t we like to see another instance of the character seeing the future following Encanto? The animated movie we’ve seen explores how his powers estranged him from his town, but what happens after he is embraced? It’ll likely still be a bit of a tender spot for Bruno, and it would be a blast to see how Bruno’s next big vision would affect him in real time.
Additionally, Encanto is a unique Disney movie in the sense that it does not have its main characters going on an adventure. The Madrigal’s conflicts lie in the home very purposefully to tell a story about how a broken family can mend together from the inside out rather than needing an expansive adventure to go to in order for them to heal. That being said, the world that has been built here feels meant to be explored, and there seems like there could be some Colombian mythology and generally more magic to the Madrigal’s story. I'd love to sit alongside these characters for longer, but putting Bruno’s powers at the center of the plot could provide the most entertainment value.
Bruno Could Be The Key To Exploring The Encanto’s Origins
Encanto sets up a fascinating story about a family who become blessed with an “encanto,” which means “charm” in English, which gives their entire family special abilities that they use to better their home and community. Much like Frozen, the first movie does not explore how and why Elsa had her ice powers – but the second movie allowed the audience to grasp a deeper understanding of who she is. In terms of Encanto, there could very well be an intriguing secret about the root of the magical gifts, or an exploration of what would happen if outsiders discovered the Madrigals and wanted to harness the powers for their own purposes.
An Encanto sequel/spinoff centering on Bruno could also further explore the culture and country of Colombia. The South American country, and our world, is really grappling with deforestation in the Amazon, among other issues. It would be interesting if Bruno foresees a future where an aspect of their natural land is at stake, and once the family comes to grips with his fortune, they find a way to help mend their natural world.
In this house we absolutely do talk about Bruno and hopefully there’s a bright future ahead for these characters following Encanto's major success. You can watch the film again with a Disney+ subscription and tune in at the Oscars on March 27 to see if the Disney movie wins for Best Animated Feature.
