Lin-Manuel Miranda Announces Disney Musical Set in Latin America

The mastermind behind Hamilton and the music of Moana is returning to Disney Animation for an all-new musical.

It’s official! Walt Disney Animation Studios is developing a musical set in Columbia. Moana songwriter Lin-Manuel Miranda confirmed the news during an interview with Good Morning America, stating:

I’m actually writing a new animated musical with Disney Animation. I’m collaborating with the Zootopia guys and Jared Bush, who wrote Moana with me. It’s set in Colombia, in Latin America and that’s all I can say before Bob Iger just shows up in my home.”

Lin-Manuel Miranda

So, what we know so far is that this is a musical, it’s set in Latin America, and will be headed by the creative teams behind Zootopia and Moana. That’s not a ton of information, but it’s enough to spark interest.

For those keeping track of Disney Animation‘s upcoming projects, this won’t come as a surprise. Lin-Manuel Miranda’s father, Luis Miranda, was actually the first to break the ice. In 2019, Miranda senior spoke briefly about a supposed Moana sequel that would feature Disney’s “first Latina princess”. Fast forward to June, 2020, and more rumors emerge. This time, about a Byron Howard and Jared Bush-directed fantasy titled ‘Encanto’. According to those reports, ‘Encanto’ centers a young girl and her magical family in Brazil. While Miranda’s GMA interview does not mention a title or synopsis, it’s nice to have confirmation that a Latin American feature is indeed happening.

This collaboration is a no-brainer, as Zootopia and Moana were both critical and financial hits for Disney. No details regarding a release window have been revealed, so this project could be a ways off. For now, fans can anticipate Disney Animation’s next feature, Raya and the Last Dragon, which is due to hit theaters on March 12, 2021.

What do you want to see in this new musical? What other countries or cultures should Disney do next?

Edited by: Kelly Conley