Ever since the enchanting landscapes of the Scottish Highlands graced our screens with Brave in 2012, the whispers of Brave 2 have been in the air. With Disney and Pixar delivering a compelling tale of a fiery-haired princess named Merida who dared to challenge tradition, audiences worldwide were captivated.
But as the years rolled on, the question persisted: Will there be a Brave 2? Over the last decade, sequels to beloved animated films have become a trend. The clamor for a follow-up to Brave grew louder, leading to inevitable speculations. Could Merida's story continue? What new adventures and challenges might await her?
While sporadic murmurings and vague allusions have surfaced from time to time, the definitive answer about Brave 2 remains elusive. Initial insights suggest that while there's interest in revisiting the world of Brave, there are no concrete plans in motion.
The enigma of Brave 2: What's the story?
Brave represents Pixar's first foray into fairytales, initiated by Brenda Chapman. Though Chapman began as the visionary behind the film, she later handed over the directorial mantle to Mark Andrews due to some internal creative differences.
Set in the idyllic Scottish Highlands, the narrative orbits around the determined Merida, a princess with a mane of fiery red locks and unmatched archery skills. Merida seeks to chart her course as part of the royal lineage, a decision that spirals her into unforeseen challenges and adventures.
To jog the memories of those who've drifted from the details: Merida, a free-willed daughter of King Fergus and Queen Elinor, wishes to shun age-old customs. Her defiant actions trigger discord with her mother, who falls victim to a curse and turns into a bear.
Now, with danger lurking, Merida must harness true courage to reverse the powerful curse.
The buzz around Brave 2 and the origins of sequel speculation
Post the release of Brave, there was light chatter around the possibility of a sequel. Mark Andrews, in 2013, conveyed that returning to Brave's universe could be an exhilarating endeavor in an interview with The Scotsman. The condition, however, was the necessity of a compelling narrative. In Andrews' words:
"It would be fun — to get the gang back together again. I don't know if there will be another one. We never make a film at Pixar to have a sequel."
This sentiment was reiterated by Pixar's Jim Morris in 2016 during an interview with Entertainment Weekly. He highlighted Pixar's unique approach:
"Most studios jump on doing a sequel as soon as they have a successful film, but our business model is a filmmaker model, and we don't make a sequel unless the director of the original film has an idea that they like and are willing to go forward on."
The present stance on Brave 2
Currently, the prospects for Brave 2 appear bleak. Key members of the original creative brigade have embarked on divergent paths. Brenda Chapman directed Come Away. Mark Andrews has shifted his gaze away from Pixar and is collaborating with Netflix on Super Giant Robot Brothers, released in 2022.
Yet, the Brave narrative could find a renewed trajectory or format as the entertainment landscape evolves, especially with platforms like Disney+.