A new member of the Madrigal family was unveiled by Disney. The Madrigals are the fantastical family at the heart of Encanto who live in their magical, sentient house, Casita. The Madrigal family is big, with over a dozen members, but it's now one bigger with the arrival of Luis Madrigal in Descendants: Wicked Wonderland.
Luis Madrigal is confirmed to be the son of Luisa from Encanto, aka the older sister of the main protagonist Mirabel, who was voiced by Jessica Darrow. Luisa's defining feature is her superhuman strength, and she stands out as the tallest and most burly of the Madrigal family. Alexandro Byrd is joining Descendants: Wicked Wonderland as Luis, and the first character poster released by Disney has unveiled his appearance.
The young Madrigal definitely seems to have inherited his mother's strength, as Luis shows off his biceps on the poster.
His outfit reflects Encanto's Colombian world, with Luis wearing a white tunic, a vest adorned with vibrant flowers and vines, and a depiction of the Miracle Candle that gives the Madrigals their gifts.
There is definitely a familial resemblance between Luis and Luisa, despite the jump from animation to live-action. Luisa's strength was a gift from the miracle candle, and she subsequently became the rock of her family. Luisa was a breakout character in Encanto, and including her son in Descendants: Wicked Wonderland is a testament to that popularity.
Because Descendants: Wicked Wonderland branches out in its own ways and takes creative license with the stories it is drawing upon, Luis' backstory isn't known yet, and it's not clear who his other parent is or what his relationship with Lusia and the Madrigals is like. Luisa did not have a love interest in Encanto, so it will be interesting to see whether Descendants: Wicked Wonderland makes any comments on what happened in Encanto after the credits rolled.
Fans are waiting for potential news on an Encanto sequel, so seeing Luis in Descendants might be the closest things will get.
The Descendants movies bring together the various offspring and younger family members from established Disney characters. Descendants: Wicked Wonderland is primarily led by Red, the daughter of the Queen of Hearts from Alice in Wonderland, and Chloe Charming, the daughter of Cinderella and Prince Charming. The Descendants movies have slowly been adding to the roster of Disney families featured in the franchise, and Encanto is just the latest IP to be involved. Descendants: Wicked Wonderland is the fifth installment in the franchise and will be released on Disney Channel on July 16 and on Disney+ the next day.
What Is Luis Madrigal's Role in the Descendants Universe?
Descendants: Wicked Wonderland is a direct sequel to Descendants: The Rise of Red and follows what happens to Chloe and Red after they return from their time-traveling in the previous film. As it turns out, their meddling with time has consequences, and the villain, Maddox Hatter (the son of the Mad Hatter), is seeking the return of his magic pocket watch.
A major plot point that may indicate Luis' involvement in the story is the Kingdom Cup Games, which are being held in Wonderland in the movie. Similar to the World Cup or the Olympics, the Kingdom Cup Games feature the United States of Auradon sending team members to compete for the Kingdom Cup.
Seeing as Luis seems to have inherited his mother's incredible strength, it stands to reason that he would be the representative for his home in the Kingdom Cup Games and may be roped into the wider story after he is sent to compete.
Some of the other Disney characters and relatives involved in Descendants: Wicked Wonderland include Hazel Hook (the daughter of Captain Hook), Robbie Hood (the son of Robin Hood), and Squeaky and Squirmy Smee (the twin sons of Mr. Smee). Characters like Rita Ora's Queen of Hearts and Paolo Montalban's King Charming will also be present to oversee their children.
