You've probably seen the posters on social media. A bright, neon-orange bridge, Miguel holding a new guitar, and a giant "2" plastered right in the middle of the frame. It looks real. It looks like Pixar is ready to make us cry all over again this November.
But honestly? Most of those "leaked" trailers you're seeing on YouTube are basically high-effort fan edits. If you’re looking for the coco movie release date for a sequel right now in early 2026, the reality is a mix of "soon-ish" and "not as soon as the rumors say."
The original Coco hit theaters on November 22, 2017, in the United States, after a record-breaking premiere in Mexico a few weeks earlier. It’s been years. We’ve all had "Remember Me" stuck in our heads since the late 2010s. So, where does the franchise stand today?
The 2029 Confession: When is the actual Coco movie release date?
Disney CEO Bob Iger actually dropped the bombshell during a shareholder meeting back in March 2025. He confirmed that Coco 2 is officially in development. However, he didn't give us a date for next month or even next year.
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The official target for Coco 2 is 2029.
That is a long wait. We’re talking twelve years after the first film. Pixar isn't known for rushing things—just look at the gap between Incredibles movies. They’re currently focused on Hoppers and Toy Story 5, which are both slated for 2026. Coco 2 is still in the "initial stages," which basically means they’re still figuring out how to top the emotional gut-punch of the first one without it feeling like a cheap cash grab.
Why did the first one take so long?
To understand the release timeline, you have to look at how the first movie was built. It wasn't just drawn; it was researched. Director Lee Unkrich and his team spent years traveling to Oaxaca and Guanajuato. They had to get the cempasúchil (marigolds) right. They had to make sure the ofrendas felt like real Mexican homes, not a tourist's version of them.
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Pixar actually brought in cultural consultants like Lalo Alcaraz and Marcela Davison Avilés to ensure they weren't just "borrowing" the culture. That level of detail takes time. If they're doing a sequel, they’re likely doing that same deep-dive research again.
Where to watch the original Coco right now (2026 update)
If you’re itching for a rewatch because the 2029 date feels too far away, you don't have to look far. Since Disney pulled their content from Netflix years ago, the coco movie release date on streaming has been firmly settled on Disney+.
- Streaming Home: Disney+ (available in 4K with Dolby Atmos).
- Audio Options: You can (and should) watch it with the Spanish dub. It adds a whole different layer of authenticity.
- Physical Media: It’s still floating around on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray, which is honestly the best way to see the Land of the Dead without streaming compression ruining those neon colors.
What we actually know about the sequel's plot
Not much. Seriously. Disney is keeping the plot details locked away tighter than Ernesto de la Cruz's guitar vault. But there is plenty of speculation based on how the first one ended.
Miguel is older now. In the first film, he was 12. By 2029, if the movie follows real-time (unlikely for animation, but possible), he’d be a young adult. Most experts think the story will focus on Miguel’s role as the new musical patriarch of the Rivera family. Or maybe it’ll dive deeper into the mechanics of the Land of the Dead—what happens when the "Final Death" starts threatening more people we love?
Lee Unkrich and Adrian Molina are expected to be involved, which is a huge relief for fans. You don't want a sequel handled by a completely different team when the first one was so personal.
The "Coco 2" posters you see online are fake
Let's get this out of the way. If you see a poster saying Coco 2: The Return of Hector is coming out in October 2026, it is 100% fake. These are usually "concept trailers" created by fans using AI or bits of other movies. They get millions of views because we're all desperate for more, but Disney hasn't released a single frame of footage yet.
They’re busy with Toy Story 5 for June 2026 and Incredibles 3, which is also on the horizon. Pixar’s schedule is packed, and Coco is the "prestige" project they’re saving for the end of the decade.
Why Coco still matters in 2026
It’s rare for an animated movie to stay this relevant for nearly a decade. Coco did $814 million at the box office, but its "legs" (as they say in the industry) come from its heart. It’s one of the few big-budget films that handles the concept of death in a way that doesn't feel scary for kids.
It also changed how Disney does business. After the backlash they faced for trying to trademark "Día de los Muertos" (huge mistake, by the way), they pivoted to a more collaborative approach with the communities they represent. That shift is why we eventually got movies like Encanto.
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Actionable ways to get your Coco fix before 2029:
- Visit the Parks: If you're in California, Disney California Adventure has been leaning heavily into Coco lately with live performances. There are even rumors of a permanent ride in the works.
- Check the Soundtrack: Michael Giacchino’s score is still a masterpiece. Listen to the "Mariachi" versions of the tracks; they’re often better than the movie versions.
- Support Local Artists: Instead of buying mass-produced merch, look for Alebrije carvings from actual Oaxacan artisans. It supports the culture that inspired the movie in the first place.
While the coco movie release date for the sequel isn't happening this year, the legacy of the original is still going strong. Keep an eye on the D23 Expo—that's usually where the first real concept art for these long-lead projects finally shows up. For now, we've just got to keep the photos on the ofrenda and wait for 2029.