Walt Disney Animation Studios has dropped a brand-new featurette for their latest animated film, Encanto, which puts the spotlight on Lin-Manuel Miranda's songwriting. Encanto boasts a talented voice cast that includes the likes of Stephanie Beatriz (Brooklyn 99), Diane Guerrero (Doom Patrol), John Leguizamo (John Wick), and Alan Tudyk (Rogue One), to mention just a few. The story of the film is set in an enchanted town called Encanto that's hidden in the mountains of Colombia and revolves around the extraordinary Madrigal family. Each family member is gifted with a special magical ability except for Mirabel (Beatriz), who is the only ordinary Madrigal. When the magic surrounding Encanto and its inhabitants is put in danger, Mirabel embarks on a quest to save them.
Now, a new featurette released by Walt Disney Animation Studios focuses on some of the original songs written for the film by Miranda. He mentions how it was "really exciting" for him to take on an "interesting new challenge," and get "immersed" in Colombian culture and music. The video also features Beatriz along with Miranda, giving a deep dive into some of the tracks from the film, including the exuberant opening track, "The Family Madrigal," the inspirational "Waiting On A Miracle," the extremely catchy "We Don't Talk About Bruno," and the poignant Spanish tune, "Dos Oruguitas." Check out the video below:
It's safe to say that the studio giants struck gold by working with Miranda and including him in the creative process for Encanto as it features some of Disney's best musical numbers to date, which also encapsulate Mirabel's journey perfectly. This isn't Miranda;s first collaboration with Disney as he also boasts songwriting credits for 2016's Moana under his belt. Audiences worldwide can sing along with Mirabel and the rest of the Madrigals when Encanto premieres on Disney+ on December 24.
Source: Walt Disney Animation Studios