On Thursday, July 8, Disney revealed the first trailer for Encanto. Previously announced at Disney’s investor day, Encanto takes place in Colombia and follows the ordinary daughter of a magical family, Mirabel. That’s really all we can glean from the trailer, too; it gives off a vibe for the film more so than story details. Starring Stephanie Beatriz (Bojack Horseman, In the Heights) and with original songs by Lin Manuel-Miranda, Encanto is set to release on November 24, 2021. Check out the official trailer here:
I don’t want to get my hopes up too high for Encanto, given how Disney recently burned me with Raya and the Last Dragon. Due to the COVID-related delays, that was my most anticipated movie two years in a row, and it absolutely was not worth the wait. I hate to beat a dead horse, but Mulan left me similarly baffled. Despite being a pretty big Disney fan, I find their output a mixed bag of impressively thoughtful family entertainment and half-baked attempts to capture what’s popular at the moment.
However, I am excited for this movie’s soundtrack. The film’s setting of a magical, musical Colombia is well within Miranda’s wheelhouse, and I know he’ll knock it out of the park. Even the beat of the music at the very beginning of the trailer got me a little excited, although I should have known not to expect much from a teaser. While I’m not super familiar with Stephanie Beatriz, I enjoyed her in In the Heights and some TV series here and there. She can sing, and she’s funny, so I’m sure she’ll be good in Encanto. I don’t have any strong feelings about the concept of Mirabel as a regular person in a family with magical powers. But a concept is only ever as good as its execution, so I’ll just wait to see the movie.
As of yet, Encanto isn’t expected to go straight to Disney+ for their dumb $30 premium, and I hope it stays that way. I’m kind of glad I didn’t take the time and effort to see Raya in the theater (but resent that I gave them money for it). However, these films used to be yearly events, and I hope we see a return to that. The animation looks absolutely gorgeous, and I can’t wait to see it on the big screen.
Are you looking forward to Encanto? Are you going to see it in theaters, wait for Disney+, or skip it? Let us know in the comments below!
I will probably skip it. Not because of the movie itself, but because I don’t want to give Disney any money.