Coco 2 is coming to life.
At the studio’s D23 fan event on Friday night, Benjamin Bratt was on hand to announce he would reprise his role as Ernesto de la Cruz in the sequel, which would be set a few years after the first film and see lead character Miguel as a teenager.
While to most fans the character is a hero, Bratt joked that “to some, he’s a little menace who ruined a career and destroyed a legacy. Ernesto de la Cruz is back for revenge, sending Miguel on an adventure back to the Land of the Dead.” The actor also revealed that the sequel is set for a November 2029 release.
Bob Iger first announced that Coco 2 was in development last year, saying the movie was in the early stages and a theatrical release was set for 2029. The sequel will bring back members of the creative team from the original film, including director Lee Unkrichn and co-director Adrian Molina, and Mark Nielsen (of Toy Story 4 and Inside Out 2) will produce.
“While the film is just in the initial stages, we know it will be full of humor, heart and adventure, and we can’t wait to share more soon,” Iger said at the time.
The original film was released in 2017, following a 12-year-old boy who dreams of becoming a musician and is accidentally transported to the Land of the Dead. While there he seeks out his great-great-grandfather, a deceased musician, to help him convince their family to allow him to play music. Anthony Gonzalez, Gael García Bernal, Bratt and Edward James Olmos led the voice cast.
Coco went on to win two Academy Awards for best animated feature and best original song, “Remember Me,” written by Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez. The sequel is not the only Coco expansion the company has in the works, as Disney is also planning a Coco attraction that is slated to come to Disney California Adventure.
