Twelve years after Brave 2 was never confirmed, the original was a critical and financial success, securing a 79% Tomatometer score on Rotten Tomatoes and a 75% audience-led Popcornmeter score. Macdonald also starred in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 (2011), No Country for Old Men (2007), and Operation Mincemeat (2021).
In an exclusive interview with Screen Rant about her new movie, The Radleys, the star also discussed her history with Brave. While she still looks back on the movie fondly, she its that she has not thought about a sequel at all. She also has good reasons to avoid appearing in any live-action remakes. Check out her full quote below:
Oh, I wouldn't get anywhere near a live-action remake, I'm far too old. But yeah, it was an amazing thing to be part of, and I'm one of a very short list of Disney Princesses, and that's kind of cool. If my younger self had heard about that, I dunno what she'd have thought. But yeah, I dunno about sequels or anything, that hadn't occurred to me. This one, actually, The Radleys, it struck me when it watched it that it would be an interesting sequel to watch. I think there's something there, but I don't know if anybody's going to, we'll see how it goes. You know what, I'm just saying it because I just want to get some teeth. I didn't get teeth this time around.
What Macdonald's Brave Comments Mean
A Brave Sequel Is Fairly Unlikely
It is only natural that Macdonald would distance herself from any potential Disney live-action adaptations. While Merida is depicted as a 16-year-old girl, Macdonald is currently 48 years old. Therefore, a younger actor would be a better fit for the role, and the new casting could help to introduce a new star to Hollywood. On the other hand, Macdonald could still have a live-action role, such as Merida's mother. It's not uncommon, as past actors who voiced Disney princesses have made some cameo or feature in a revamped live-action adaptation, such as Mulan's Ming Na-Wen in the 2019 film.
Pixar's movies have some sequels scattered in, but all are follow-ups to franchises with clear directions.
However, the fact that Macdonald has not heard of any sequel also means that it is an unlikely prospect. Pixar has never indicated any interest in a follow-up movie, and it is especially unlikely after Luca and Coco tackled the same narrative elements. Brave ended with Merida finding satisfaction in her family life, having earned her mother's respect. There is no easy way to continue a story that concludes with such finality. Pixar's movies have some sequels scattered in, but all are follow-ups to franchises with clear direction, and Brave 2 would be a break from that tradition.
Our Take On Brave 2's Potential
There Would Be Limited Financial Opportunities
Brave saw success at the box office during its initial run, having earned $539 million on a budget of $185 million. It even earned the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, a Golden Globe, and a BAFTA Award. As an original property, that was an impressive total that proved that Pixar was thriving. The company has seen continued success in recent years with the $1.69 billion Inside Out 2 proving that sequels are a viable path forward for the franchise and the studio.
All 5 Pixar Movies That Made $1 Billion At The Box Office
Pixar's five highest-grossing movies owe their financial success to strong storytelling, marketable casts, and hype surrounding them being sequels.
The 12 years since its release, however, have left Merida's story with little room for further exploration. Inside Out left a clear path forward, as Riley's growth was a clear direction. By contrast, Merida's story is done. Pixar has instead elected to repeat Brave's themes through other movies, which has proven effective with Coco. If there ever is a sequel, it will need to change the franchise completely, which Pixar has shied away from. Pixar's lack of interest in live-action remakes makes any follow-ups unlikely.
Pixar's Brave follows Princess Merida of DunBroch (Kelly MacDonald), the daughter of a clan chief in medieval Scotland. When Meridia is told she must marry the suitor of her parents' choosing, she refuses, defying an age-old tradition and causing chaos in the kingdom. This starts a chain of events that causes Merida's mother, Queen Elinor (Emma Thompson), to fall victim to a magical curse, the princess sets off into the wild to rescue her.
- Writers
- Mark Andrews, Steve Purcell, Brenda Chapman, Irene Mecchi
- Studio(s)
- Disney
- Distributor(s)
- Disney
- Budget
- 185 million
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