While Pixar as been on the decline as of late, they are trying to rebound with projects like The Incredibles 2, Cars 3, and their latest original cinematic endeavor: Coco.
Young Miguel Riveras loves watching Ernesto de la Cruz movies, learning to play guitar by watching the star play guitar in his movies. One day, he finds and takes the guitar of his hero and somehow ends up in the Land of the Dead. Like with most Pixar films, this trailer only gives us a small glimpse as to the plot, without an antagonist, mission, or real look at our main character or his family. We don’t even know why the film is named Coco. One thing we do know: Miguel’s dog Dante is kind of weird-looking.
The film is directed by Lee Unkrich, who has been co-director on a number of Pixar projects, including Finding Nemo and Monsters Inc. In terms of voice talent, Mexican director Gael García Bernal will play a skeleton companion for Miguel named Hector, Mexican actress Ana Ofelia Murguia will play a member of Miguel’s family and Benjamin Bratt will play the famous guitarist Ernesto de la Cruz. Miguel will be voiced by a newcomer, Anthony Gonzalez.
Some people have made more than a few connections to the 20th Century Fox film The Book of Life that came out in 2014. Both books are set in Mexico, feature male main characters who love to play guitar and believe in the power of music even though his family disapproves, the Mexican conception of the Land of the Dead complete with calaberas, takes place partially during the Day of the Dead, the list goes on. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it does mean it’s going to have to work hard to make its story unique. It already takes place at a later point in time and even has a more realistic art style, so that helps.
Coco will debut in theaters on November 22, 2017.
