Summary
- Disney plans an Encanto 2 to continue the success of the franchise.
- Moana 2 was rushed and didn’t meet the expectations of the original.
- Disney must prioritize quality over rushing sequels to maintain audience trust.
The world of animation is fixated on sequels right now, with Disney, Pixar, and DreamWorks all working on popular franchises of the past. Encanto 2 is the next film that’s reportedly in the works, with Disney looking to tell another story with the Madrigals and their magical powers, which fans are excited about.
However, the challenge with sequels is that there are naturally much higher expectations because people want the movie to be just as entertaining as the original. Encanto proved to be a hit for Disney, and that means a lot of care needs to be taken when creating this film, but that’s where a vital lesson can be learned from Disney’s most recent sequel, Moana 2.
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Disney Has Plans For Encanto 2
Encanto was released back in 2021 and managed to be a success, as it grossed $261.3 million at the worldwide box office. Ever since that point, people have wanted more from this world and the enchanting characters that were involved. One of those was the mysterious Bruno, who fans will never forget due to Lin-Manuel Miranda’s catchy song. John Leguizamo, who voiced the character, provided a positive update on the potential of a sequel as he told People, “I’m also waiting for an Encanto 2 when all we do is talk about Bruno. I’m calling them every day saying, ‘When is number two coming?’ They’re trying to come up with the storyline; they’re working on it.” So, even though there is no official confirmation, as was just made for Coco 2, there are positive signs that Encanto 2 is a movie that Disney intends to move forward with.
Moana 2 Was A Rushed Project Not Worthy Of The Original
Moana is one of Disney’s most popular and successful movies of all time; therefore, the decision to create a sequel was exciting. Moana 2 performed well at the box office by grossing a staggering $1.069 billion, proving that the character is someone that audiences are always going to want content from. However, the sequel’s quality was a major drop from its predecessor, which was a shame. It felt like a rushed project because it was initially planned to be a Disney Plus series, and it got reworked into a movie at the last minute. That’s the type of decision that shouldn’t have been made for a movie as popular as this because audiences have a standard that they expect, and Moana 2 didn’t meet that.
Moana 2 was enjoyable enough and certainly wasn’t Disney’s worst-ever offering, but the film failed to capture the same spirit of the original. The music wasn’t as catchy, and the characters didn’t have the same level of connection either. It wasn’t worthy of the original movie as the drop-off was so drastic, which shouldn’t be how Disney operates. Audiences put faith in everything Disney does due to being a trustworthy brand, but if sequels continue to feel rushed, then there will be questions asked over time.
Disney Must Focus On Quality Over Rushing
For the longest time, Disney would rush sequels out often in a direct-to-video market just to get people to buy lots of movies based on a popular brand. There would be times when the same voice actors weren’t even used, leading to people not caring about them. Disney now makes much bigger events out of its sequels as they are released as genuine films with more effort put in. But Moana 2 was a slight nod to Disney’s past in many ways because it wasn’t originally meant to be a movie and, therefore, didn’t get the same level of love and attention that people expect. The drop in quality didn’t hurt the financial results, though, and that’s why there is now a fear that Disney could repeat that technique with other popular movies, such as Encanto, in a bid to quickly turn a profit. It means that they can churn out regular content without putting in as much creative effort because there’s already a backstory, established jokes, and a plot that can be built upon. However, that doesn’t mean that it’s a good business model for the company to choose.
Frozen 2 may have had some problems, but the film felt important and of the same standard as the original, and that should be the level Disney aspires to reach for all of its sequels. This includes a potential Encanto 2 because that’s a movie that audiences actively want to witness. However, they don’t want it to be a cheaper film as it would lessen the impact of the original. In fact, having the characters be slightly older and wiser could end up benefiting the film massively as the story would be more mature. Disney must take its time with this one, and the fact that Leguizamo revealed they’re working on an idea for Encanto 2 proves that the powers that be are considering what should happen rather than just forcing it, and that is hopefully a sign that the lesson is being learned.
