Disney Isn’t Making an ‘Encanto’ Sequel, and the Producer Just Confirmed It Herself

Walt Disney Animation Studios has spent the past few years leaning hard into familiar territory, with sequels to its biggest hits arriving one after another. That pattern made one omission increasingly conspicuous, given how thoroughly the 2021 Colombian-set musical embedded itself in the culture. The ‘Encanto’ sequel question has followed the studio ever since.

The expectation wasn’t unreasonable. The film won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, produced a Billboard Hot 100 chart-topper in one of the biggest Disney songs in years, and has been publicly referred to as a franchise for the studio despite nothing being announced.

Now there’s a direct answer. Walt Disney Animation Studios creative executive Yvett Merino told The Direct that there have been no discussions about greenlighting a sequel, responding to the question with a flat “No, but I’m always here for it.”

Merino’s answer carried obvious personal weight. She explained that the film was the first she ever produced, and that it holds a very special place in her heart because it puts a Latino family in the forefront. Her enthusiasm was unambiguous. Merino said that anything to do with the world of the film, she’s in for, repeating that she’s there for anything connected to it.

You’re invited into the exceptional, fantastical and magical Casa Madrigal. 🦋✨ Watch the new trailer for Disney’s #Encanto now! See the movie this November. https://t.co/JahqbX1EIm

— Disney Animation (@DisneyAnimation) July 8, 2021

This isn’t the first time she’s addressed it. Merino spoke with the same outlet back in 2023 about a potential follow-up, and her answer remains essentially unchanged, with the studio continuing to look for ways to keep the world alive rather than develop a film.

What Merino pivoted to was tangible. She pointed to a casita and themed attraction currently under construction at Walt Disney World in Florida, describing it as what she’s genuinely excited about right now.

That project is part of a larger overhaul. The attraction is coming to Disney’s Animal Kingdom as part of Tropical Americas, the land replacing DinoLand U.S.A., with an expected opening in 2027. The property has been expanding in other non-film directions too, including a stage show aboard a Disney cruise ship.

Part of the explanation is simple arithmetic. Disney Animation’s upcoming lineup includes ‘Hexed’ on November 25, 2026 and ‘Frozen 3’ on November 24, 2027, with ‘Frozen 4’, ‘Moana 3’ and ‘Zootopia 3’ also in development without dates attached.

Production timelines compound the problem. Director Byron Howard has previously noted that these films generally take around 5 years to make, adding that there’s significant overlap in who works on which project, with much of the team having recently come off ‘Zootopia 2’.

Chief creative officer Jared Bush has described planning around a 10-year slate precisely because the films take so long to produce. Reaction online has been mixed. Responses to the news have included pushback from fans who expected a follow-up given the film’s cultural footprint, with some arguing a Disney+ series would be the better format anyway.

There had been earlier signals too. Voice actor John Leguizamo, who plays Bruno, said in early 2025 that Disney was working on a story for a sequel, a claim that now looks considerably more aspirational than concrete.

Crucially, Merino’s comment describes the absence of talks rather than a cancellation. With the producer actively advocating and the theme park expansion signaling continued investment in the property, the door looks closed rather than locked.

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