Walt Disney Animation Studios has made a tradition of releasing mega-hit features every November. After over eight decades in the business, they’ve perfected their process. It’s hard to imagine back-to-back holiday seasons without the arrival of a heartwarming Disney movie for the whole family (plus, more often than not, a lucrative soundtrack to go along with it). This year, the tradition continues with “Encanto,” the iconic studio’s 60th animated feature.
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Set in the mountains of Colombia, the film is a musical fantasy reportedly inspired by elements of magical realism. However, Disney fans can rest assured the project more closely resembles “The Incredibles” than “One Hundred Years of Solitude.” Here’s the official synopsis:
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“Encanto tells the tale of an extraordinary family, the Madrigals, who live hidden in the mountains of Colombia, in a magical house, in a vibrant town, in a wondrous, charmed place called an Encanto. The magic of the Encanto has blessed every child in the family with a unique gift from super strength to the power to heal—every child except one, Mirabel. But when she discovers that the magic surrounding the Encanto is in danger, Mirabel decides that she, the only ordinary Madrigal, might just be her exceptional family’s last hope.”
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Mirabel is voiced by Stephanie Beatriz, known mostly for her role as hard-nosed Detective Rosa Diaz on the TV comedy “Brooklyn Nine-Nine.” More notable is the involvement of prolific multi-hyphenate Lin-Manuel Miranda, fresh off a rocky experience producing “In the Heights.” Luckily, Miranda is on firmer ground as a film composer. His last collaboration with Disney Animation yielded the soundtrack for 2016’s “Moana,” which peaked at number two on the Billboard 200. Producer Clark Spencer is clearly aiming to recreate that project’s success. “Moana” screenwriter Jared Bush was tapped to not only write the script for “Encanto” but co-direct as well. His partners are Charise Castro Smith (who co-wrote the screenplay) and Byron Howard (with whom Bush co-directed “Zootopia” in 2016).
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“Encanto” is set for theatrical release on November 24.
