Despite releasing less than two years ago and having its theatrical run cut short due to the pandemic, Encanto has emerged to become one of Disney's most popular animated musicals. Save for some merchandise and a new meet-and-greet at the theme parks, Disney hasn't really done much to capitalize on this popularity. There have been rumblings of a potential sequel, or perhaps a television series on Disney+, but nothing official has been announced yet.
That doesn't mean plans are in the works though. Speaking to The Direct, producer Yvett Merino hinted that Disney is currently exploring ways to keep the world of Encanto alive.
“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…”
In September, Disney opened a brand new meet-and-greet experience at the Magic Kingdom where fans can meet and interact with Mirabel from the movie. But other than that, Disney hasn't really done much with the franchise at the parks.
There's been even less news about a potential sequel or animated series. Merino admitted that she doesn't have "anything official" to say on the subject but is excited to see the franchise "expand across the company."
“… 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.”
In the years since Encanto was first released many of the cast and crew have been asked about their thoughts on a sequel. Stephanie Beatriz, who voiced Mirable, previously confirmed how she would love to work with the Encanto team again.
Composer Lin-Manuel Miranda also seemed open to the idea, acknowledging "there's a lot of stories we could tell inside that house." But he ultimately conceded that it's up to the folks at Disney.
Although nothing official has been announced, it's nice to know that Disney is exploring ways to incorporate Encanto across its businesses. For now, the next animated movie fans can look forward to is Walt Disney Animation's Wish, which opens in theaters on November 22.