Disney Pixar has just revealed the setting of an upcoming film, and it’s pretty exciting. First announced at Disney’s CinemaCon and later confirmed on Twitter, Pixar is planning their next full length feature to revolve around The Day of the Dead.
No, not the George Romero zombie flick (although possibly just as awesome), but Dia de los Muertos, the Mexican holiday that is celebrated in connection with All Saints’ and All Souls’ Day in November.
Here’s Pixar with the announcement on Twitter:
Just announced: Director @leeunkrich and producer Darla Anderson making a film that delves into the vibrant holiday of Día de los Muertos.
And here’s another confirmation from director Lee Unkrich, who helmed the amazing Toy Story 3:
So excited to finally reveal my next movie at Pixar: a story set in the world of the Mexican holiday Dia de los Muertos.
So, that sounds incredible, right? Well, as long as they get it right – something that some people are already worried about. One Twitter user asks “please do your best to get it right, don’t fall into the stupid stereotypes every American associates with us (I’m Mexican). Another says, “Let’s hope they get their facts right about this wonderful celebration.”
Contrary to what some believe, Dia de los Muertos is not the Mexican version of Halloween, although the two are very close on the calendar. Dia de los Muertos is all about the remembrance of loved ones who have died, and versions of it are celebrated all over the world. Some associate the holiday with frightening imagery – devils, ghosts, etc. But that doesn’t come into play during Dia de los Muertos. For many Mexicans it is a happy day, a time to honor deceased loved ones and celebrate love, not death itself.
But there are tons of amazing colors and objects associated with the celebration, and this should make for a pretty awesome backdrop for a Pixar film.
Pixar’s newest film, Brave will hit theaters on June 22nd. In lieu of a trailer for the just-announced Dia de los Muertos picture, here’s a look at the newest trailer for that film:
The next one after Brave will be called The Good Dinosaur and will be released in 2013. The untitled Dia de los Muertos project is looking at a 2015-16 release.