The Book of Life Sequel Announced!

According to Variety, the 2014 Day of the Dead-themed animated film The Book of Life is getting a follow-up! Dallas-based Reel FX Animation Studios and original director Jorge R. Gutierrez will be back for the Book of Life sequel, which will be made in stereoscopic 3D.

“The sequel grew from that and people asking what was gonna happen with the characters, what’s gonna happen to the gods?” Gutierrez said. “The sequel embraces all these things and, in a weird way, is a continuation of the story with everybody you love from the first movie. 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.”

“‘The Book of Life 2’ will be the continuation of an extraordinary story that technically and creatively captures the vision Jorge had of this fabulous world,” said Chuck Peil, Reel FX head of business development. “The original film broke ground in so many ways and we hope that the sequel will have the same impact for the fanbase.”

Reel FX is also in development on another animated film titled Kung Fu Space Punch, described as a “funny mash-up of ‘90s Kung Fu films, Spaghetti Westerns of the ‘60s, and the epic space adventures of the ‘70s, ‘80s and today.” You can see a piece of key concept art above. Although it’s being planned as a movie, Kung Fu Space Punch could also wind up being developed as a mini-series.

Here’s the synopsis: “Johnny Holliday, a charming American biker space outlaw, leads a motley wild bunch of rebel bandits in a collision course with legendary villain Kathulo to determine the fate of the galaxy. Along the way, Johnny also has to face off with Ramona Sanchez, a hot-headed childhood rival who now protects their town of Rio Bravo as a hard-ass hardcore cop, enforcing the law with an iron fist.”

20th Century Fox released the original Book of Life in October of 2014, when it grossed nearly $100 million worldwide on a $50 million dollar budget. It features the voices of Diego Luna, Channing Tatum, Zoë Saldana, Ice Cube, Ron Perlman, Christina Applegate, Kate del Castillo, Cheech Marin, Placido Domingo, Hector Elizondo, Ana de la Reguera, Eugenio Derbez, Gabriel Iglesias, Ricardo “El Mandril” Sanchez and Danny Trejo. The animated comedy was produced by Guillermo del Toro and directed by Jorge Gutierrez.

The Book of Life is the journey of Manolo, a young man who is torn between fulfilling the expectations of his family and following his heart. Before choosing which path to follow, he embarks on an incredible adventure that spans three fantastical worlds where he must face his greatest fears. Rich with a fresh take on pop music favorites, The Book of Life encourages us to celebrate the past while looking forward to the future.