When the first images and then the trailer came out for Pixar's second film of 2017, Coco, there were a lot of comparisons to 2014 Day Of The Dead-centric The Book Of Life. Prepare for a few more, because director Jorge R. Gutierrez is in early discussions about a sequel.
The first Book Of Life was about a love triangle between childhood friends, the sensitive musician Manolo (Diego Luna) and preening warrior Joaquin (Channing Tatum) whose competition for the hand of the vivacious Maria (Zoe Saldana) causes the gods to lay wagers on who will win and, with that, the future of the world.
As for the sequel? Well, there are no specifics yet, but Gutierrez tells Variety that he's been coming up with ideas. "The sequel grew from that and people asking what was gonna happen with the characters, what’s gonna happen to the gods?" he says. "It embraces all these things and, in a weird way, is a continuation of the story with everybody you love from the first movie."
He also wants to explore the world beyond the usual love story finale. "I am a big fan of romantic movies. I always want to find out what happens afterwards. That’s one question we will ask during the sequel." Part of the push for the new movie came after he, his wife Sandra Equihua and Book art director Paul Sullivan designed a poster for the sequel as a piece for an art show. The lesson here? Be careful what you tease people with...
Before he does anything on that film, though, Gutierrez has to deliver Kung Fu/Spaghetti Western/space adventure mash-up movie Kung Fu Space Punch, though he's yet to decide whether it'll come to life as a movie or a miniseries.