Twelve years after Brave was released, actress Kelly Macdonald – who voices Princess Merida – discussed the possibility of a sequel or a live-action remake. While Brave 2 has never been confirmed, the original film was a huge success with a 79% Tomatometer score on Rotten Tomatoes and a 75% audience score. In addition to Brave, Macdonald has starred in many notable film projects such as Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 (2011), No Country for Old Men (2007) and Operation Mincemeat (2021).

Kelly Macdonald on a Brave sequel

In an exclusive interview with Screen Rant about her new film The Radleys, Kelly Macdonald shared that she has no thoughts about making a Brave sequel. She also made it clear that she doesn’t want to do a live-action remake because she feels she’s too old for the role of Merida. Merida is portrayed as a 16-year-old girl, while Macdonald is now 48. If there were a live-action remake, a younger actress would certainly be a better fit, while also giving a new star a chance to emerge.

Macdonald also didn’t rule out the possibility of appearing in a different role, such as Merida’s mother. This has happened to other Disney Princess actors, such as Ming-Na Wen in the live-action version of Mulan (2019).

Why Pixar hasn’t made Brave 2
Despite Brave’s commercial and critical success, Pixar has never expressed any intention of making a sequel. Part of the reason is that Brave’s story ended on a positive note, with Merida finding harmony in her family life and gaining respect from her mother. This is a complete ending, leaving little room for a new story.

In addition, Pixar has always focused on standalone stories or ones with clear directions in sequels. Films like Luca and Coco have explored family, identity, and growing up, similar to Brave. Therefore, making Brave 2 would go against Pixar’s current direction.

Trailers that go viral online, such as on YouTube, TikTok, or Facebook, are fan-made and not official content from the studio:

Although fans are always looking forward to Merida’s return, the reality is that a sequel to Brave is unlikely to happen. Kelly Macdonald herself is not very enthusiastic about this idea, and Pixar’s current development direction does not prioritize continuing the story of the princess with hair. Instead, the company is focusing on new projects with standalone storylines or continuing brands with clear directions.

Brave 2 is not listed on Disney and Pixar’s 2025 release list. Instead, Pixar is planning to release the original Elio in June 2025.

If you’re interested in upcoming Disney and Pixar projects, I can provide details on films like Elio, Zootopia 2, or other live-action remakes.