AceShowbiz - There is encouraging news for Pixar fans as a new Disney release signals a shift in the studio’s long-standing release strategy. After several challenging years marked by the Covid-19 pandemic and the rise of Disney+, Pixar has seen mixed results at the box office. Many of its recent films premiered on Disney’s streaming platform, which impacted traditional box office revenue. However, the success of Inside Out 2 defied this trend, and while the upcoming film Hoppers may not reach that blockbuster level, it is on track to perform solidly in theaters before gaining further momentum on streaming.

Looking ahead, Pixar remains committed to balancing original projects with sequels. Upcoming titles include Toy Story 5, Gatto, and Incredibles 3, planned for release over the next several years. Recently, Disney adjusted its animation release calendar in a notable way. For the first time since 2011’s Winnie the Pooh, a Walt Disney Animation Studios film will debut in the summer—a window traditionally reserved for Pixar releases. In exchange, Pixar has secured a coveted November 21, 2029, release date for one of its films.

That late November spot is widely expected to be reserved for Coco 2, the confirmed sequel to Pixar’s 2017 hit. Directed once again by Lee Unkrich and co-director Adrian Molina, Coco 2 has remained relatively under the radar since its announcement last year, which aligns with the lengthy production timelines typical of animated features. The 2029 release date fits perfectly with previous indications and the original film’s release pattern.

The timing of Coco 2 makes strategic sense. The story’s cultural backdrop is the Mexican Day of the Dead (Día de los Muertos), celebrated in early November. While the U.S. release will be a few weeks later, it is highly likely that the film will premiere in Mexico earlier in November to coincide with the holiday, allowing Disney to leverage the cultural significance for marketing. Following that, the film will benefit from the Thanksgiving holiday box office boost in the United States.

This release strategy worked wonders for the first Coco movie nearly a decade ago. The original film launched in Mexico about a month before its U.S. debut and went on to become the highest-grossing film in that market at the time. Globally, it earned $814 million, ranking it as one of Pixar’s top-performing original films, surpassed only by Inside Out ($858 million) and Finding Nemo ($940 million). Meanwhile, sequels to those films, along with other recent Pixar sequels like Inside Out 2, Toy Story 4, and Incredibles 2, have all surpassed the billion-dollar milestone.

Given Coco’s strong legacy and the strategic double-holiday release plan, Coco 2 appears poised to continue this trend when it arrives in theaters in 2029.

For those interested, the original Coco is currently available for streaming on Disney+.