#scrapped encanto characters

[hannahhook7744]

The taxidermy animals names;

This taxidermied capybara is named 'Scarfy.'

This taxidermied capybara is named 'Buck'.

This taxidermied capybara is named 'Stitches'.

The Taxidermied Tapir is named 'Tuah.'

This taxidermied bats are named 'Wingsie and Fangsie.'

The taxidermied flamingos are named 'Birdie and Fluffy.'

The taxidermied hare's name is 'Hopper'.

The taxidermied chameleon's name is 'Blenden'.

The taxidermied ant-eater's name is 'sniffles'.

The taxidermied turtle's name is 'Toothy.'

Keep in mind they were named by the children when they were small. So the names aren't the best.

These seven little guys are named 'Vitelotte, Bintje, Yukon, Ratte, Kerr, Remarka, and Tajfun.'

and these two little guys are 'Gunda and Doré.'

[allthingsencanto]

One of the scrapped ideas Encanto had that I liked was Luisa secretly having a hidden theme park in her room, a place she went to be a playful kid that she couldn’t show to anyone else.

It was a really cute idea, just the thought of Luisa playing and having fun like a child at a theme park shows that vulnerability side to her, it shows that even though she’s strong and older than Mirabel, she’s a child deep inside and just wants to have fun. Of course though, I can see why it was scrapped. It is a disappointment that we didn’t get to see her room, but had there been a theme park in the final film, it would have been a bit too drastic in my eyes. I also like the idea better of Luisa not even being ABLE to indulge in the innocent things she would like, because it proves to the audience just how trapped she feels of keeping this strong image to her, how horrible Alma’s expectations take on the family, as well as the bittersweet message that Mirabel was the one to she had to open up to, since Surface Pressure already beautiful demonstrates how vulnerable and emotional Luisa is. Still, like I said this was a REALLY cute idea, I wouldn’t mind seeing more art of Luisa playing games and on rides, just being the kid she didn’t really get to be at a young age. 🥺💜

Oh, and don’t worry, I definitely have more things to share regarding scrapped Encanto stuff and ideas in the future!

[justanisabelakinnie]

Some more Fuega Madrigal picrews I made because y’all deserve it and I can’t draw for shit.

I hope you enjoy!

[miracles-and-butterflies]

The second wip of the Reincarnation AU series; Isabela’s death.

Featuring another sketch at the end.

Time skip of fourteen years. What happened between Mirabel and Isabela’s deaths? You’ll never know.

Comments are always appreciated.

Warning, sensitive topics below: murder and character death.

~~~~~~

So Much Hides Behind My Smile

“Knock, knock? Mi flor? Are you in there?” Someone asks, opening the door.

Isabela is sat at her vanity, carefully taking out the flowers she’d woven into her hair that morning. From the mirror’s reflection, she can see Milagro stood in the doorway, her family going about minding their own business just behind.

It had been a busy day, of course. Her perfect, albeit long awaited, wedding.

“Of course, mi vida. Did you need something?”

“I just came to see you,” he answered, shutting the door behind him. He laughed, walking over to her, just about to set a hand on her shoulder. “Well, it’s been a long day but we’ve finally made it to the wedding night—”

“Get the fuck out of my room.” Isabela snarls.

Milagro blanks for a minute. “Um… where else am I meant to sleep?”

“I don’t care. It’s not my problem.” She seethes, turning back to the mirror.

“In case the rest of the day didn’t clue you in, mi flor, we are unfortunately husband and wife now. It very much is your problem. And from what I understand, the sooner you have a baby, the happier your Abuela will be. Which you’ll have a hard time achieving if you don’t want me here.”

“If you so much as touch my shoulder, I will rip your penis off and feed it to my carnivorous plants.”

Neither says anything more.

But it takes exactly two seconds for them to act.

Milagro goes to charge his entire body into hers but is yanked onto the floor by throned vines, as Isabela throws herself straight onto him.

“How dare you treat me like this!?”

“How dare you!? This is my room and don’t you forget it!”

“Just because you’re a Madrigal doesn’t mean you can get away with everything, princesa!”

They scratch and hiss and hit like wild jaguars, fighting over the last scrap of meat.

It just keeps going.

Not only does he deserve it and worse, she can let out all the steam that’s been building inside her.

~~~~~~

“A perfect match,” Alma hummed, as Bruno poured them all another round of wine. “Isabela deserves the best and that is what she has. They will both bring so much good to the Encanto.”

“I can’t believe it. Where has the time gone?” Bruno added.

Pepa nodded, still drying her hair. “It feels like just yesterday Isabela was born and now she’s married and going to have babies of her own.”

“That will be our Lolita soon,” Félix smiled.

“I’m too young to have grandchildren! We’re too young to have grandchildren! No offence, Mama.”

Alma was in too good a mood to even remotely care.

“Is it really Dolores’ wedding next?” Bruno asked, teasing. “Because I had a little peek into the future and I saw—”

“NO! DON’T YOU DARE RUIN IT! I DON’T WANT TO KNOW!” Pepa shrieked.

Bruno held his hands up in surrender as his sister began a play fight with him, Félix laughed riotously.

“Hey, I was only kidding!”

“Well, I don’t believe you!”

Alma chuckled too, before getting up. “I am going to check on Julieta and Agustín.”

“You do that,” Félix said. “I’ll keep an eye on these two.”

The rest of the grandkids, all of whom were drunk, were out in the courtyard, hyper as anything.

Camilo, Antonio and a variety of animals were dancing while Dolores played some lively tune on her bandola; Luisa singing a completely different song over the top.

Honestly, you wouldn’t know they were adults.

On any other day, she would probably have scolded them and sent them to bed. For now though, she is happy enough to just leave them. They aren’t hurting anyone or causing any trouble, to be fair.

Agustín and Julieta were sat quietly in another room, without the wine. Julieta has been in an odd state for the past few years with seemingly new cure, and Agustín has always preferred to keep some distance from his mother-in-law when he can help it.

But they should be together right now. This is Isabela’s day and they have all been her biggest supporters.

“They certainly make the happy couple,” Alma said, taking a seat beside them.

“Indeed.” Agustín agrees. “I had my doubts about this match, but I’m glad that I’ve been proved wrong.”

“So long as my girls are happy, then I’m happy.” Julieta declares.

“Well, mija, I can attest that Luisa is definitely happy.” She paused, trying to get the pair to hear the carryon happening outside. “And trying to make herself a soprano, apparently.”

After some wonky, forced long note from Luisa, they broke into laughter.

“It’s nice to see the kids are still enjoying life and spending time together,” Agustín remarked, smiling fondly.

Julieta’s smile drops.

“Not all of them.”

~~~~~~

Long after Milagro is gone and her temper has cooled, Isabela heads downstairs.

It’s late now.

The rest of the family is in bed. Or at least in their rooms.

She doesn’t know where Milagro went after she kicked him out, probably the guest bedroom, but she doesn’t care enough to check. He can sleep outside for all she cares.

She heard some footsteps on the way to the kitchen, but brushed them off.

One of Antonio’s animals, no doubt.

In the kitchen, she makes her way over to the coffee pot. It’s half full, just needs to be reheated - no doubt Luisa has beaten her to their usual midnight drinks.

Casita takes over, sliding her signature cup along to her.

“What do you think of all this, Casita?”

A few tiles clink.

“Mirabel? I’d be lectured for at least two hours about failed marriages in history or something if she was still alive.” Isabela glanced to the side. “Can’t imagine how she’d take this… knowing I just went back.”

More clinking.

“Well, what was I meant to do? I couldn’t say no.”

A cupboard smacks her shoulder, lightly.

She chuckled. Taking off the wedding ring.

“Haha, good point. You know, I always thought getting out of the Guzmán engagement would make me happy, and now I’m about two seconds away from committing murder.”

The beams squeak supportively.

“It’s nice to know someone’s got my back.”

The coffee pot, ready, is tilted over Isabela’s cup, filling it to the brim.

“Maybe I’ll let it happen. Let the family see he’s awful and then I’ll be free.”

It smells as good as usual, there’s an underlying hint of something that isn’t coffee though. She shrugs, and drinks it anyways.

Luisa’s been drunk since the ceremony ended, who knows what she’s put in here since. It’s probably alcohol - that she’s added in some spark of creativity. And Isabela isn’t too against the idea of alcohol in her coffee at all - it’s an idea she’ll try later, when she isn’t about to go to bed.

It doesn’t taste any different though.

She lets Casita dispose of the ring.

She returns to her room steadily, not paying much attention to the beautiful decorations that have been hanging since this morning.

It’s one of the odd times where she wasn’t the one to decorate Casita in her flora - it was her day. Abuela had made it very clear that she didn’t want Isabela to lift a finger.

She never really got a chance to admire them this morning either. She’s spent most of the day outside of Casita and when they have been home, she was in her room, getting ready with Dolores, her maid of honour.

Ah well.

They will still be there tomorrow.

All that matters now is that she’s alone, out of that hideous wedding dress and can sleep off her frustration with a drink.

She doesn’t bother switching on the light, just clambers into bed and setting the cup on her bedside table.

The café con leche is as inviting as always.

[Note reads, not in Isabela’s handwriting:

Dear family,

This is not about you, this is about me. I can’t cope with the pressure of being the perfect Madrigal any longer. I was not made to be a wife and mother - my most sincere apologies to Milagro, mi vida. I tried. You should not blame yourselves. I hope whatever is is next is better than this.

— Isabela]

[hatbox-apologist]

U know there r a lot of things I wish the 2023 Haunted Mansion movie could've done better, but there's one thing I really wish we could've gotten. More emotion/enthusiasm from Alistair.

More below the cut

Yes, I know he's a poor repressed little meow meow, but really, I think if he were just slightly more... idk animated? About things, he would better. Now, when I say enthusiastic and animated, I don't mean like how current Disney characters (i.e., Wish, Frozen, Encanto, Moana, etc) act because that's way too much. I mean, he could've had more personality behind it. The closest I can compare my vision to is if we go with some of Claude Frolo's anger and some of Scar's sas and cunning. Idk if anyone else can see it, but me. But I totally think it would give depth to his dialog and give him some personality. The most personality we get is a whole lot of very stereotypical creepy laughter, that near monotone "toodloo.", and that he mentions taffy. I've literally scrapped a hole through the bottom of the barrel. All that we know about his personality is from his backstory. We learn about his traits, but we don't really get to see him portraying them on screen. For him to be a certified classic Disney villain that's been around for ages and doesn't get the proper Disney villain personality (that isn't overdone) is tragic.

[sunshine-zenith]

Aight, I’m invested I guess. Here’s my Far Fetched Probably Inaccurate More Speculation Than A Theory theory for Wish: Magnifico isn’t completely human or a shooting star like the Star we see — he’s either a manifestation of a wish Amaya made or Amaya once used a wish to save his life

Magnifico specifically says “it’s genetic, I got these genes from outer space!” about himself, which is very specific wording — either he’s completely from space, or magic from space warped his genes. He also has a magic book and I can’t think of a reason he would if magic is innate to his very being, down to a genetic level — maybe it belongs to his Not Innately Magic wife?

Amaya is a unique character in Disney canon in that she’s the Major Big Bad’s spouse — most classic Disney villains in their major animated movies are single or widows, while Amaya is very much alive and well. So she must be important, otherwise what’s the point of her character? Marketing also had super downplayed her, which tells me she has a major role in the story that they don’t want to give away

Amaya’s few lines in the trailer focus on Magnifico (surprise surprise, they have two minutes tops to market this thing and a focus on the hero and villain takes priority over showing rounded out characterization). Still, she seems big on praising him in a similar way he praises himself — calling him handsome and seeming impressed at what she thinks is his work. Yes, there’s being a supportive significant other, but there’s a strange vibe to her words, like she has a personal investment in his achievements beyond just being married to him. I also saw her giving Magnifico concerned/protective looks, like she’s specifically worried about his well-being. Idk I feel like someone finding a shooting star and not sharing it isn’t necessarily worth giving “who’s messing with my hubby” death glares — maybe she’s worried about this shooting star undoing the wish she used for him

She’s noted to be his sounding board/the person who keeps him in line in marketing, so she must know what he���s up to and helping him hide it from the people of Rosas

Magnifico is cocky and self obsessed, but I get the impression that this isn’t the reason he grants so few wishes. He gets super serious and even solemn when talking to Asha about it. He’s kinda a dick where his kingdom is concerned, but he takes wishes seriously. He genuinely doesn’t seem to be holding back granting wishes out of selfishness, because he does grant quite a few — fourteen in a year might be just a drop in the ocean, but that’s still a solid amount. Imagine fourteen people going viral during an internet challenge, or fourteen people on an organ registry getting transplants, or fourteen people getting their degrees, etc, etc. That’s genuinely not a nothing amount of people! Maybe being alive due to wish magic gives him a different perspective on it and what he deems necessary vs unnecessary (and whether or not he’s a hypocrite would make for a compelling character dimension)

Listen this isn’t “evidence,” I just want Amaya to have autonomy in this story, and the only other ways are if she’s a Plot Twist Villain working with/above Magnifico (badass, but I’m pretty sure this was specifically scrapped by the writers early on in the process) or if she hits him with a stack of divorce papers (iconic behavior, but imagine a theater full of five year olds with complicated family dynamics watching this — I don’t see them celebrating with the characters on screen like they might’ve when, say, Anna decked Hans in the face). Her specifically being the reason Magnifico exists and the complicated feelings all around that would result from this are amazing to imagine, plus it can go with both Good!Amaya or Evil!Amaya

Idk maybe Amaya had a cross between Aladdin and Encanto moment — she consciously or unconsciously wished for a handsome king to save her from whatever and since a king needs a kingdom Rosas was created. Or Amaya stumbled across a dying boy who wanted to create his own kingdom and made a wish for him to survive, with that wish giving him powers in the process

[witchhatproductions]

Witch Hat News #4 - Lessons from the Archives

by Tata Calthrop

This is an archived version of our microfiction newsletter! You can read along on our tumblr, or subscribe here.

Which archive, you may ask? Well, it's quite simple.

Our own one.

Yes, like many twenty-somethings in the creative field now, I was forged in a rather specific fire – the classic Internet pipeline of Neopets, Deviantart, Tumblr, Twitter, usually interspaced at some point with either a gender crisis or a formal diagnosis of mental illness.

You see, for a young nerdy preteen in 2010, you have two sexy choices made available to you, neither of which you will perceive until it's too late. You will choose either the path of solitude (voraciously consuming and creating content in incredible loneliness and feeling like the only person in the world who does so), or the path of the internet, where you will learn at an incredibly young age how to receive and handle a death threat. I was raised on a raw, unfiltered diet of fandom. (Sonic the Hedgehog. The world has not been kind to me.)

The fans and the hermits have a lot to teach each other. In fact, as easy as it is to make fun of – well – most people on the internet, there is something valuable to be learned from every subculture of creativity, including the horny ones. 

So let me make a confession to you: I'm a fanfiction writer. I have a shameful record of 155,821 words, none of which will ever give me a scrap of credibility with anyone, including other fanfiction writers. (Heavy is the head that wears the dunce hat of Adventure/Comedy.) Hell, I've spent over a year picking away at a fancomic project. For zero dollars and no publication accolades, I have written at least five full completed novellas, which will never be published, be recognised, or prove anything except my big, fat crush on the uncle from Encanto.

My god, was it freeing.

The social pressure to monetize your art is insane. I took my first art commission before I even had my first bank account. It was my teenage dream: to be paid is to obtain credibility. The label will hang over your head like an execution hood: PROFESSIONAL. Of course, the loop never really stops; start making money and suddenly your eyes are open to how many opportunities you're missing, and how little you make compared to others, and how wide the chasm is between you and full-time creation. 

(That's not to say the money and recognition aren't nice! That part I do recommend.)

But making fan content, and making friends who also make fan content, and building up a small audience of people who just want to be there for fun is incredibly liberating when you're not used to it. Get a bunch of friends who create together, join a community that makes its own memes and creates a bubble of mutual feedback and appreciation, and you start to realise: this is how they made the old tales, the oral ones before the printing press.

Here's two lessons from the archives.

Love characters. Fall in love with their vulnerable moments, their jokes, their relationship dynamics, the little unseen parts of them that you can never put in a real story because there's simply no point. Linger on the details. Develop a little crush. Project all your issues and obsess over nothing. Love your own characters, and you'll find suddenly that creating art about them changes from a chore to an act of affection. Learn what makes you fall in love with other stories, and look for the same aspects in your own.

Making art to impress a large audience will disappoint you; making art to impress a social circle of about ten interested people is how life is supposed to be lived. The early humans who painted mammoths on cave walls had no audience except themselves.

Here's a quote I like, from Prof. Henry Jenkins, Provost Professor of Communication, Journalism and Cinematic Arts at University of Southern California: "Contemporary Web culture is the traditional folk process working at lightning speed on a global scale. The difference is that our core myths now belong to corporations, rather than the folk.”

Here's another quote I like, from twitter user @FarfinFarfin: "the fastest way to improve your art is to become some sort of pervert, doesn't really matter what kind, whatever you're comfortable with". 

Reviews

The Northern Caves by @nostalgebraist. The Northern Caves is a cosmic horror story about unwary scholars who delved too deep into the ancient texts, except the scholars are a group of hardcore nerds on an early 2000s fan forum for a mediocre fantasy series, and the ancient texts are fan theories about the author's baffling final novel. I know almost nothing about original fiction on Archive of Our Own, but I recognise a wonderfully online scary story when I see one. Psychological, terrifying, and twistedly fascinating reading for anyone who's ever watched an online community implode.

Songs for Girls in Love by @phemiec. PhemieC was one of my favourite musicians as a teenager, and when I got into my first relationship I rushed into the familiar arms of their love songs. They also were making, at the time, Homestuck fansongs. But when I was 15, this music made more of an impact on me than any classic musician ever could. Songs for Girls In Love has a number of fansongs mixed in, largely for things I've never consumed, but you'd never know it from their lyrical subtlety and I'm still a huge fan. 

Digital Land Grab: Media corporations are stealing our cultural heritage. Can we take it back? By Henry Jenkins. Okay, okay, this one's not exactly micro or fiction of any sort. But it is the article that I quoted earlier, and Prof. Jenkins could be described as the grandfather of fanwork studies in academia. A good read about the history and creative validity of fanwork, and the ways in which corporations suppress it. I highly recommend it, even if you know nothing about fanfiction.

Your project here. Do you make art of any kind - visual, written, performed? Are you starting a project or recruiting co-creators? We want to hear from you! Email us at contact@witchhatproductions.com.

That's it for June. See you next month!

[toaverse]

okay, imagine the director of encanto while in production invites you to help him rewrite some things before the film cames out, what you would change about it? would you change just the characters or the plot?

Hmm, I wouldn't change the plot, since addressing generational trauma in latino communities is something that's actually quite interesting.

However, Encanto handled it like fucking garbage!

Alright, I would have:

Mirabel actually express her pain of being excluded by the family for a decade (especially Alma, Pepa and Isabela if she's still a bitch).

Bruno actually calling Alma and Pepa out for shunning, villanizing and gossiping about him.

Changed Isabela to be nice (and kinda being over the top but in a fun way) and genuinely wanting to spend time with Mirabel, but Mira thinking she's a spoiled golden child who doesn't have to struggle with anything. That way, there's an actual misunderstanding (unlike that garbage the actual film pulled!)

Cut Surface Pressure out of the film.

Changed All Of You to a Mira and Bruno duet where they call the family out for leaving them out of stuff, standing by and doing nothing, and shit-talking/gossiping about them., which would lead to a genuine apology from Alma and the rest.

Moved Alma's devastating flashback to a more appropriate moment, instead of in the so-called "apology" scene.

Probably changed the apology scene to be more like the scrapped one.

Agustín and Julieta interacting with all three of their daughters.

Acknowledged that Félix (and Camilo) is an actual person and not solely Pepa's caregiver who follows her and calms her down 24/7 with nothing given in return.

[pearlstarlight5]

I watched Wish yesterday, yipee:

+ I expected Valentino to be annoying like everyone says but I actually like him, he's a literal baby goat!

+ But I hate the Grumpy and Sleepy knockoffs so much holy shit.

+ The script's tendency to repeat itself and over-narrate was actually alienating

+ I didn't listen to the songs beforehand, they were quite underwhelming. That said, I loved At All Costs, but I wish it stayed a romantic duet between Asha and the shapeshifting star boy

In fact, if only they hadn't scrapped the shapeshifter, the idea of a Disney romance between 2 innocent and perky characters in the modern times sounds wonderful.

I later went back and listened to the songs... and binged Encanto songs afterward and the jump in quality was night and day

+ Too much protagonist-centered morality. Disney characters can be selfish, but there's usually consequences. Asha only looks out for her family and never has that epiphany that others' wishes matter too that I was expecting her to have. She sings about helping her people, but this doesn't translate in her actions since she only bothers stealing her grandfather's wish and intending on coming back for her mother's wish.

Overall, I didn't like this movie, but by god, I will defend it with my life against media illiteracy because some of yooz need to go back to English class.

[hannahhook7744]

Invisible truth family tree;

Family tree for the Madrigal family tree in my Disney Descendants x Encanto crossover au, 'Invisible Truth.'

Notes:

Luisa Madrigal ended up with Ryder Nattura from Frozen 2.

Mirabel Madrigal ended up with Miguel Rivera from coco (since they're around the same age by the time encanto came out.

Camilio Madrigal ended up with a scrapped love interest of Kuzco (formerly named Mata before the name was used on another character in the show) who I renamed Mina.

Dolores Madrigal ended up with Mariano Guzmán.

Isabella Madrigal ended up with the scrapped Bubo Marquez.

[justanisabelakinnie]

I made a picrew of Fuega Madrigal, Dolores’ younger sister! Thanks for the picrew, @naksatravrsti! Link to the picrew in question: https://picrew.me/image_maker/396144

Hope you enjoy!

[zonerobotnik]

Forced representation is not representation.

Replacement representation is not representation.

Raceswapping and genderswapping is all well and good in fanwork, but if you're going for actual canon representation, you want to actually have proper representation, not the scraps.

Girls want Lara Croft, they don't want Girl Indiana Jones.

We don't want Girl Tony Stark, we want Riri Williams as a new Iron Man model.

Instead of Black Steve Rogers, we want Sam Wilson as a new Captain America model.

We don't want a Black Triton or Aquaman, we want Black Kings like T'challa.

We don't want Black Ariel or Mexican Snow White, we want more actual Princesses like Tiana and Elena of Avalor. We want more like Coco, like Encanto, like Moana.

Is it really representation if you're just posing as someone else with a different face? No, it is not. Stand on your own merit, live your own story, don't settle for the scraps and celebrate raceswapping and genderswapping as "representation".

We want more stories like Nimona, we want more stories like Brave, we want proper representation and not a little wink, nudge and a change of face for an existing character. We want EFFORT. Something that we can call OURS, without taking from someone else!

My issue is not that I am a purist. It is that erasure for the sake of fake representation is wrong.

[miracles-and-butterflies]

Encanto Ride the Cyclone AU.

For @glowing-celesticpetals, based on the prompt: “maybe something about Antonio or Bruno in the Ride the Cyclone Au?”

This is the last you’ll see of the living side; the family grieving the loss of the four children.

Comments are always appreciated.

Warning, sensitive topics ahead: character death.

~~~~~~

Just Another Tragic Fact

Bruno sighed to himself.

The four gravestones, all lined up, layered in a variety of plants - Isabela would have hated it if it was all just flowers.

Here lies

Luisa Amalia Rojas Madrigal

14th November 1930 - 14th September 1951

Beloved daughter and sister.

Here lies

Camilo Valentino Estrada Madrigal

28th December 1934 - 14th September 1951

Beloved son and brother.

Here lies

Isabela Cristina Rojas Madrigal

7th August 1928 - 14th September 1951

Beloved daughter and sister.

Here lies

Dolores Victoria Estrada Madrigal

31st August 1928 - 14th September 1951

Beloved daughter, sister and partner.

Seeing it makes it real.

Not that it didn’t feel real watching the crash and seeing their dead bodies be pulled from the wreckage.

The funeral had came and went.

The loss of the children, who had been dubbed ‘Encanto’s Four Saints’, had impacted the town itself. Everyone was draped in mourning garb and music and laughter almost vanished from the streets.

But, of course, it brought the most impact to the Madrigals themselves.

“I’m sorry,” Bruno says to them.

It’s a relatively bright and dry afternoon - considering Encanto has been living in a constant storm since the Cyclone accident.

Pepa must be asleep. She’s done a lot more of that recently.

He doesn’t blame her.

“I should have seen… I should have been able to warn you. Then maybe you’d still be…” he sighs, breaking into tears again.

“Tío Bruno?”

He sniffles. “Hey, Toñito.”

“What are you doing?”

“I thought I’d just come to see them. It’s a nice day.”

“You don’t have to say ‘sorry’. You couldn’t have known what would happen at the fair.”

“No, you all couldn't have known. This is my gift. This is what I’m for. But… I didn’t even think to look and now it’s my fault they’re gone.”

“Still. You can’t blame yourself.”

Tight arms fasten around him.

Bruno accepts the hug.

It probably should be the other way around, it’s not him who has lost his siblings and cousins.

~~~~~~

Antonio doesn’t quite process that they are gone.

He knows they are dead, but… their family has a miracle, why wouldn’t it bring them back?

When a bunch of baby capybaras are born the following week, he names them after his siblings and cousins.

The quietest capybara he names Lola. She was the oldest of the four. She’s always hiding behind his legs. She insists she be carried up and down the stairs. He finds a pinkish red ribbon in Mirabel’s room that he asks his Mama to tie in a bow for Lola.

Next came Luis. He was the biggest of the litter, so Antonio didn’t need to mark him to tell him apart. Luis was more like a playful puppy than anything else, frequently managing to sneak out of Antonio’s room to wander around Casita in search of belly rubs.

Then there was Belita, or Bela, depending on whether or not Antonio was telling her off. Like her mother, Chispi, she was very confident and snarky. However, lacked her mother’s chill. She was full of energy - if Antonio didn’t put her to bed with her siblings, he would be sure she never slept.

And lastly there was Milo, possibly Antonio’s favourite but don’t tell the others. Getting his brother’s name, he was exactly like him. Mischievous, loves food, and maybe a little too dramatic. Milo was good at making him laugh and, after everything, that is what he needed.

He assembles them all before bed, so that when Mama or Papa or both of them come to read his story, they are there too.

Abuela would happily spend time babysitting the four of them while Antonio was at school.

If they came into the kitchen, Tía Julieta would offer them scraps or spare food they could eat.

Tío Agustín had built a little wooden cart that Antonio could pull them around in.

Tío Bruno pretty much adopted them alongside his many rats, as the best pets/children ever.

It was another week later that Antonio got an idea.

“What are you doing, mijo?” His mother asked one day. It was just before dinner - table already set up, but nobody had called them to eat.

Then she noticed the extra chairs and plates that had been added to the table. And Antonio having placed each capybara on their namesake’s chair, which was stacked with pillows, so their heads just about reached the table.

“I thought they could join us for dinner!” He offered. “And Chispi is here too to watch them. I got her a spare chair all by myself.”

Pepa didn’t know what to say. “Is your Abuela okay with this?”

“Why wouldn’t she be? She loves them. I saw her cuddling Milo and Lola when I came home today. I think she likes them more than Tío Bruno’s rats.” He informed, happily.

“Well, but, you know what Tía Julieta is like with animals at the table,” Pepa tried again.

“I don’t think she’ll mind. It’s like having the family back together!”

Thunder rumbled.

“I was meant to ask Bruno something,” she excused herself, brushing through her braid as she walked off.

Antonio stood in silence.

He glances at Chispi, “Did I do something wrong?”

~~~~~~

It’s a silent night.

They are slowly coming out of mourning and adjusting back to normality.

Starting to work again.

The colours of black and dark blue and dark grey begin to fade away.

The eternal storm that Encanto has been wrapped in since September is slowly breaking away. Now it is just occasional spells of heavy rain and sleet.

Antonio has long since been put to bed, with the four capybaras.

The rest of the adults stay up.

What once would have been a night of some wine, a few cards games, music and laughter, is now just a solemn conversation in the candlelight.

They ‘um’ and ‘ah’ over what could have been.

Where and what the children are doing, now that they are no longer among the living.

“And the other one?” Agustín dares to ask. “Did anyone ever come for her?”

“Was she at least identified?” Félix inquires.

“No.” Alma answers. “The order was given for her to be buried today.”

Pepa tugs at her hair, shivering. “I can’t imagine it. A child. Just like the rest of them. Except in an unmarked grave, and not a soul to care.”

“Her poor family,” Bruno remarks. “My sympathy is with them.”

“No.” Julieta shook her head. “To let their child go… and they don’t even care. They either didn’t care to look in the first place or they couldn't recognise their own bloody child. It’s horrible. They don’t deserve any sympathy.”

“Julieta!” Her mother and brother both exclaim, in shock at her attitude.

All the family is, but Agustín and Félix are stunned into silence (not that they find a fault in her statement, it’s just unexpected for her), and Pepa is already nodding her head in agreement.

“I agree.” She said, turning to Julieta. “If it was one of our babies, I would have known instantly. Heartless people.”

[kylesvariouslistsandstuff]

WISH Teaser, Paramount CinemaCon Presentation Thoughts

Well now, our teaser for WISH is finally here... Been here for a few days...

And my reaction took a while to type up, because I spent most of my day out and about, namely seeing another movie in theaters that happens to star Chris Pine... and being up to other stuff earlier today.

I've ready spilled my thoughts on WISH's visuals on an earlier post, but I'll repeat... This does look like a cool next step for Disney's CG animated movies. Sure, it's pretty much the TANGLED/FROZEN/MOANA/etc. house style and character models with a 2D linework overlay and subtle textures/tones, but it looks very nice and if this is the baby step to even more experiments and equally cool-looking movies? I'm down. I particularly love the color work of this world that it's set in, the architecture is eye-catching, along with the stylized forests that look to be channeling Mary Blair and Eyvind Earle even. Very, very classic-like FX on the star character. The brief taste of the song shows promise, too. Not much else for me to say, other than... It looks like a typical Disney animated movie, but sure to be served up quite nicely and with fantastic visuals that will *pop* on the big screen. I know, it's not actual pure 2D, but I'll take what I can get. Alan Tudyk's goat character Valentino is a standout as well.

The trailer's proclamation of the film being a story a century in the making is utterly silly, though... As if Disney, stretching all the way back to the day Walt and Roy founded the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio in 1923, had this thing sitting around... and it sat and sat and sat and sat for decades until the current administration decided to go through with it... I mean, c'mon... What does that even mean? I'm pretty sure, per what I hear from the trenches, that this thing was pitched around 2018... Ahhhhh marketing. It's not dissimilar to how director Chris Buck's own FROZEN was touted by Disney's marketing machine as a film that was over 70 years in the making, when it really... Wasn't. FROZEN, as you and I know it, came into existence around 2008 as ANNA AND THE SNOW QUEEN. The early 2000s SNOW QUEEN project and the short segment that Walt was going to do for a scrapped Samuel Goldwyn movie about Hans Christian Andersen in the 1940s do not count. They are merely separate stabs at the source material, whose only link is said source material. I extend the same to something like BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, or RAPUNZEL/RAPUNZEL UNBRAIDED/TANGLED.

What *is* cool is the trailer not only saying "From the creators of" the more recent WDAS movies like FROZEN, MOANA, and ENCANTO... But also THE LION KING, BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, and... CINDERELLA??? Wow, we're going way back! Surprised PINOCCHIO and THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG, actual Disney animated movies with a wishing star in them, weren't mentioned. You can tell Disney's not going to take the marketing of this one lightly, they need a not-sequel hit big-time, as they haven't had such a thing at the box office since MOANA aaaaall the way back in 2016.

The typography nut in me also noticed that they used the original poster and home video logo for BEAUTY AND THE BEAST. CINDERELLA's logo, curiously, comes from the 2012 Blu-ray and DVD release. Not the more recent DMC exclusive 4K disc release.

So yes... WDAS' WISH... I'm there! I mean, they had me at WDAS, and the style, so, I'm expecting a fun ride with great visuals.

--

Paramount presented at CinemaCon yesterday, dropping plenty of animation news... Though Paramount Animation's future is largely IP-based stuff...

More word on next summer's all-animated TRANSFORMERS Cybertron-set prequel, which now carries the title TRANSFORMERS: ONE... Okay then, if you say it as that, people might think you're referring to the first of Michael Bay's TRANSFORMERS movies, the first one from way back in 2007. Nope, TRANSFORMER: ONE, as in the animated prequel. Josh Cooley, director of TOY STORY 4, has been attached to this one, so that made me pretty excited for it. I mean, an animated TRANSFORMERS movie in this day and age is also exciting to me given that it all started as a cartoon series. And said cartoon series spawned a theatrical animated movie in 1986. What's a little concerning is how star-studded the voice cast is. I'm sure they'll do great as the various bots, and I get that these are younger versions of the Transformers, but... I dunno, I don't want to sound like one of those people who complains all the time about voice actors not getting to voice these legacy characters, but... Why not? Either way, I'm looking forward to this movie... Does it function as a prequel to the Michael Bay movies? The BUMBLEBEE-verse movies? Or is this starting its own all-animated TRANSFORMERS universe?

The Smurfs musical they have set for Valentine's Day 2025 is now called THE SMURF MOVIE... As if, five Smurfs movies later, this is *the* one. Chris Miller, director of SHREK THE THIRD and PUSS IN BOOTS, is confirmed to helm the picture. Good to see him directing again, long after his PUSS IN BOOTS sequel got canned. Despite earlier reports saying this is an all-animated Smurfs movie, there appear to be some conflicting reports on this one being a live-action/animation hybrid much like the first two Sony Animation Smurfs movies... I'd rather it just be all-animated, myself, like THE LOST VILLAGE was. I wonder if, since this is a Paramount Animation film, they'll push the visuals even harder than LOST VILLAGE did and really make this dynamic, 2D-looking translation of Peyo's original comics? Rihanna voices Smurfette, much like how a pop singer voiced her in both the hybrid movies and the all-animated one.

The first of the new wave of AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER movies is still on and going full steam ahead, so that's nice. The 4th theatrical SPONGEBOB feature is titled SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS: THE SEARCH FOR SQUAREPANTS... Kind of a mouthful of a title there, but a big epic is promising, one involving the Flying Dutchman. Wonder what visual style it takes on, given that the previous three movies all tried on different looks. The original 2004 movie resembling an upscaled version of the show, the 2015 sequel having sequences where it's a hybrid/CG movie, and the 2020 movie being all CG but in its own unique style.

But... My burning question... All this talk about MUTANT MAYHEM, PAW PATROL 2, TRANSFORMERS: ONE, THE SMURF MOVIE, SPONGEBOB 4, AVATAR: TLA MOVIE #1...

What's going with... UNDER THE BOARDWALK?

UNDER THE BOARDWALK, directed by David Soren (TURBO, CAPTAIN UNDERPANTS), was announced as a "GREASE with crabs" musical set on the Jersey Shore. For a while, it carried a summer 2022 release date, until Paramount out of nowhere kicked it out and threw in a movie they acquired the distribution rights to: PAWS OF FURY: THE LEGEND OF HANK, formerly known as BLAZING SAMURAI... That movie came and went last summer, and there's been radio silence on UNDER THE BOARDWALK. Soren has spoken a few times every now and then, indicating that the movie is finished, but Paramount was figuring out a release plan for it...

I have a feeling they'll just offload it to Paramount+, like they did with RUMBLE, which was originally set to be a theatrical release and even had trailers rolling in theaters. That's how last minute that decision was. There's next to nothing for UNDER THE BOARDWALK other than previous announcements and maybe a piece of concept art... Where is it at? Are there still plans to give it a theatrical release?

For that matter, there was no word on THE TIGER'S APPRENTICE, either. That film - directed by Raman Hui, Paul Watling, and YongDuk Jhun - carries a 1/19/2024 release date, but Paramount said nothing about it during their presentation. Maybe they wanted to prop up the franchise movies, to whet the appetites of CinemaCon's audience... Theater business people. Of course sequels and IP movies would get them excited for potential profits and attendance... Because, outside of animated movies, what else did Paramount strut around? SMILE 2, MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - DEAD RECKONING, PART ONE, A QUIET PLACE: DAY ONE, a Bob Marley biopic, and Martin Scorsese's KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON. Outside of the Scorsese movie, it's all IP (SMILE, MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE, A QUIET PLACE) or something immediately recognizable to the public (Bob Marley).

Either way, I still wonder what's going on with those two particular pictures, being that they aren't entries in long-running movie franchises. UNDER THE BOARDWALK is an original story that takes inspiration from GREASE and other musicals and named after a song by The Drifters, while THE TIGER'S APPRENTICE is based on a book that wasn't adapted elsewhere. I'd at least like to know if the former is even being released or not.

[allthingsencanto]

Usually Encanto fans thank God that Bubo (Isabela’s secret love interest) doesn’t exist in the movie’s universe anymore, but I’m just over here glad that Casita being antagonistic towards Mirabel was scrapped.

This is a storyboard test, but there are a few other official artworks and boards of Castia being mean towards Mira, it was an old idea during production of the film. Casita would constantly push Mira out of the way, or just make her life harder than it already was. I think the one piece I disliked the most was casita pushing an old version of Mirabel up into the sky when she was asleep, so when she woke up, she was terrified to see her bed in the air. (Though the art there was amazing) Anyway, this idea was just so……mean spirited, it was bad enough that Mira as a character constantly felt unworthy and left out compared to her family, so she didn’t need the dang HOUSE being mean to her as well all her life, simply because she didn’t have a gift. I’m so glad they changed it to the house loving Mira, their relationship being strong and wholesome rather than it hating her. If you ask me, this idea is worse than Bubo, yes I said it! Isabela having a love interest was at least sweet and wholesome, this idea is just cruel!

[oncexinxmyxdreams]

Encantober

Prompt 23: Rats 🐀

Beatriz is a rat character I made for my Encanto fic Miracles Come in Pairs. However, this works as a stand alone fic. 

She hasn't lived long. Rats live two or three years. She's six months old. At four weeks she was able to leave her mother and be independent. She never left the human who lived among the rats. Imprinted some would say. 

It goes through the rat grape vine why he lives inside the walls. The oldest passed it down their line. They mention his habits: throwing salt, knocking on wood, hopping over cracks, or holding his breath with crossed fingers. 

He has a name. Bruno. However, she calls him her funny human. It's comical how he suddenly becomes another person. He flips the green hood he wears up until it's covered his eyes and he speaks deeply. He goes by Hernando then.  He places a bucket over his head and very muffled will say he made spackle. That's Jorge. By any name, her funny human. It suits him. 

He's funny, kind, creative, but also sad. In her young life, she takes it upon herself to be a devoted companion to him. Companions are intelligent, helpful and loyal. 

She thinks she's the most intelligent in the mischief of rats. She's not, but her human acts like she is and that's what counts. Her human coos at her saying she's so intelligent. She loves hearing compliments. 

"Beartiz, you've got spunk." "Clever girl." "You're so smart Bea!" "Eres la rata bebé más inteligente y dulce" which meant "You're the smartest and sweetest baby rat." 

The cutesy ones aren't her favorite, but she appreciates it. She knows he appreciates all the rats who live with him, but especially her. She's one of the most helpful.   

She watches the family he belongs to, but doesn't interact. Snuggled in green fabric, she curls against his neck when he sleeps. She frequently rides on his shoulders and scampers down his arms. She notices when he needs something and she'll fetch it for him.

She sneaks so quietly through Casita. She'll even go outside and into town. It doesn't matter how dark or light it is. She escapes the smacking brooms, traps filled with cheese and predators with big teeth. They'll never catch her. Bruno's always glad to see her bring him something.     

"Thanks Bea. I needed a new pen."  "You found me an unused toothbrush? Aw, gracias Beatriz!" "Ooh! More scrap paper? Thank you!" "I know you don't like the game shows, but thanks for stepping up."   

She detests the entertainment. She's too clever to stick her head in the paper scenes he's drawn and act out his stories. She'd rather fetch things or burrow into his ruana. She'll do it when he asks so sweetly and promises her extra food. Only then. He's happy and she knows he could use some cheering up. The indignity of playing a star crossed lover or the losing sport team is worth it.  

 She's not alone in every endeavor. She'll round up her siblings and cousins if he needs multiple things at once. They all care for him, but she'll be the ringleader. She'll fight anyone who disagrees.      

"You a leader in the making Beatriz? I bet you are."   

She's certain she's the most loyal creature around. These dogs in town, proclaimed man's best friend, she disagrees. She's better than a dog. Besides, they're barking rattles her ears. She's not fond of cats, but most seem to ignore her. That's better. She's loyal to the rats, but mostly to her human. He's a part of the mischief and being part of it, he looks out for her.  

Especially now as the plaster and wood crumble. As she hurries along the bamboo railing and for once, panics. She never panics, but she's at a loss. Her funny human is hurrying behind her. Out of fright, her little paws raise up and his hazel eyes don't miss. His large hand encloses around her form. She's tucked securely in his ruana and holds on as they tumble to safety.