Guests at today's D23 Expo 2017 panel were treated to the first-ever public performance of "Remember Me" from Pixar Animation Studios' upcoming feature film Coco. Anthony Gonzalez, who provides the voice of Miguel in the film, and Benjamin Bratt, who lends his voice to Ernesto de la Cruz, teamed up to perform the song written by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez. Capping the animation presentation, the grand finale featured more than 160 performers who descended upon Hall D23 at the Anaheim Convention Center, including the Grammy-winning Mariachi Divas de Cindy Shea and Ballet Folklorico de Los Angeles under the direction of Kareli Montoya, and the Grammy-winning Gordon Goodwin Big Phat Band. Here's what director Lee Unkrich had to say about
"Our film embraces a broad landscape of music. We were fortunate to have Kristen and Bobby create 'Remember Me.' It's the signature song made famous by Ernesto de la Cruz, and it embodies the key theme in our story: the importance of remembering loved ones both in life and beyond."
Lee Unkrich, co-director and screenwriter Adrian Molina and producer Darla K. Anderson shared details about the original Disney story with the crowd. In theaters Nov. 22, 2017, Coco introduces Miguel, an aspiring musician whose family long ago banned music. Desperate to prove his talent and follow in the footsteps of his idol, Ernesto de la Cruz, Miguel makes a fateful decision and finds himself in the Land of the Dead, where he meets his extended family and charming trickster Hector (voice of Gael García Bernal). Together, they set off on an extraordinary journey to unlock the real story behind Miguel's family history.
Coco features an original score from Oscar-winning composer Michael Giacchino (Up, Rogue One) and additional songs co-written by Germaine Franco (Dope, Shovel Buddies) and Molina. Also part of the team is musical consultant Camilo Lara of the music project Mexican Institute of Sound. Fans in attendance all received an exclusive Coco poster depicting the film's iconic skull guitar. The filmmakers also debuted two new scenes from the movie, with a description of the footage found below.
The first clip features Miguel (Anthony Gonzalez) discovering that he to is a famous singer, Ernesto de la Cruz (Benjamin Bratt). His family has had a longtime ban on musical instruments, so he tries to find a new guitar so he can perform at an upcoming show. He finds a statue of his grandfather that has the quote "Seize your moment" engraved beneath. Miguel then heads to a graveyard with his dog Dante, and inside the mausoleum, he finds a guitar that belongs to Ernesto de la Cruz and steals it, apologizing to his late relative. When he thinks a guard has caught him, Miguel realizes that no one can see him, and when he runs home, his parents can't see him either, although the Dead can see him. He finds skeletons walking the Earth for the Day of the Dead, where we see a skeleton named Hector, voiced by Gael García Bernal. The second clip takes place in the Department of Family Reunions, where Miguel learns he has been cursed because he tried to steal the guitar. His late relative wants him to never play music again, and Miguel agrees and he is sent back to the land of the living, but he immediately tries to steal the guitar again, and is sent back to the land of the dead. Take a look at the photo and logo for Coco below.
