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Summary
- The Book of Life 2, the sequel to the animated adventure film, was confirmed in 2017 but its release is uncertain and unlikely to happen anytime soon.
- Director Jorge Gutierrez expressed that the delay in the sequel is due to the acquisition of Fox by Disney, which affected the progress of the film.
- The planned sequel would have explored Joaquin's relationship with his father and further delve into the dynamic between the rulers of the Land of the Forgotten and the Land of the Remembered.
The Book Is Life 2 was confirmed back in 2017, shortly after the release of director Jorge Gutierrez’s first movie in the planned trilogy, but the chances of it arriving are looking slim. The Book Of Life is a charming animated adventure from co-producer Guillermo del Toro and director Jorge Gutierrez. The premise finds a museum guide reading a tale from the Book of Life to a group of school children. This story follows a young bullfighter named Manolo, who is killed by the ruler of the Land of the Forgotten, and must find his way back to the world of the living to be reunited with his love.
The Book Of Life featured a great voice cast, including Diego Luna (Rogue One), Zoe Saldana, Ron Perlman, and Channing Tatum. The film received mostly positive reviews upon release for its beautiful visuals, fun characters, and its use of Mexican folklore. The movie proved popular enough for a sequel to be put in development, but the question of when viewers can expect The Book Of Life 2 release date remains mysterious.
Most Recent The Book Of Life 2 News
The most recent The Book of Life 2 news came through in September 2023, though it was quite disheartening. Since the Book of Life sequel was confirmed in 2017 there have of course been questions about when the release date will actually arrive — or if it will at all. Director Jorge R. Gutierrez Took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to reply to a fan, and revealed that “I might get to do this film one day but not anytime soon unless you know something I don’t know.”
Gutierrez followed this up with a second tweet, clarifying that Fox acquiring Disney was also partially responsible for work on The Book of Life 2 stalling: “the story is in my head and I refused to write it down when the Fox sale to Disney happened”.
The Book Of Life 2 Was Confirmed
Director Jorge Gutierrez and animation house ReelFX confirmed in 2017 the Book Of Life 2 was in development (via Variety). Sadly, little has been heard about the follow-up since this announcement, though Gutierrez had been busy working on animated Netflix series Maya And The Three. Tweets from Gutierrez in 2023 suggested that he hadn’t yet created the script due to Disney now owning the rights after acquiring Fox. While The Book of Life 2 was confirmed, it seems the sequel is now no longer moving ahead.
The Book Of Life 2 Release Date
No release date for The Book Of Life 2 was provided following the initial conformation, and Gutierrez clarified the sequel would have to wait under he'd completed other projects such as Maya and the Three, which arrived in 2021. However, in 2023 Gutierrez revealed that The Book Of Life 2 release date wouldn’t be arriving “anytime soon”. Even if the director has a change of heart and begins work on the sequel in 2023 with all the development and production time needed it would be incredibly unlikely to arrive earlier than late 2025 or early 2026.
The Book Of Life 2 Cast
The cast of The Book of Life 2 was never officially announced, but since the early plans were for the sequel to follow on from the original it can be presumed many of the cast would return. This would mean seeing Diego Luna (Andor) back as Manolo, with Channing Tatum (Magic Mike) reprising his role as Joaquin. The object of both of their wooden affections, Maria, would once again be played by Zoe Saldana.
Also expected to return would be Ron Perlman (Hellboy) as the mischievous Xibalba with Kate Del Castillo (Bad Boys For Life) stepping back into the role of La Muerte. Ice Cube (21 Jump Street) would also presumably reprise The Candle Maker role in the cast of The Book Of Life 2. The ensemble cast of supporting characters in The Book Of Life would likely see many returnees in the sequel too, such as Danny Trejo as Skeleton Luis.
The Book Of Life 2 Story
While the future of The Book Of Life 2 is uncertain, the initial 2017 confirmation came with a few teases regarding the directors plans for the plot. Jorge Gutierrez envisions a trilogy of stories, with The Book Of Life 2 exploring Joaquin's (Tatum) relationship with his father. The final chapter would focus on Maria, who got married to Luna's Manolo in the finale of the original. The director also teased a sequel would further explore the relationship between the ruler of the Land of the Forgotten Xibalba and La Muerte, ruler of the Land of the Remembered.