Cameron Boyce's “Descendants” Family Reflect on What Could've Been for His Future: 'He Would've Taken Off' (Exclusive)

The cast of 'Descendants: The Rise of Red' spoke to PEOPLE at D23 about how "incredible" Boyce was and the high "bar" he left for them

The cast of Descendants: The Rise of Red is keeping the late Cameron Boyce's legacy alive.

At the D23 convention on August 9, the cast of the Disney+ spinoff, which follows a new group of characters at Auradon Prep, stopped by PEOPLE’s suite to discuss the film, which sees Uma (China Anne McClain) who is now the principal, instate a new rule allowing kids from all over the kingdom to attend the school, including Red (Kylie Cantrall), the daughter of the Queen of Hearts (Rita Ora).

During the conversation, they spoke to the legacy that Boyce – who starred in the original three films alongside Dove Cameron, Sofia Carson and Booboo Stewart – left behind for the franchise.

Joshua Colley said the film is "carrying on [Boyce's] legacy," as the actor – who tragically died at the age of 20 due to complications from epilepsy in 2019 – and his beloved character Carlos have been honored in The Rise of Red and Descendants: The Royal Wedding. "I know he's honored in our movie, and so we always just want to honor the work that he did and the talent that he [had]."

Peder Lindell piggybacked off his costar's comments, calling Boyce an "incredible actor" as he said, "The reality is, he would've just taken off."

Colley, 22, added that Boyce set "the highest" bar for the cast. "Hopefully we honored the bar that he put up for us."

Related: How Descendants: The Rise of Red Pays Tribute to Cameron Boyce and His Character Carlos (Exclusive)

Dara Reneé, who plays Uliana in the new movie, said that Boyce's "legacy is so impactful," as she shared, "He was a beautiful human being. I didn't get the chance to know him, but every single person I've talked to has only said good things. And that's very rare in this business. So the fact that he has that legacy and he's continuing it and being able to grow up with someone like that was such an honor and I'm so grateful for that."

Ruby Rose Turner called the late actor "a gift – not only to this franchise – but just the industry."

Like Lindell, she mused that if Boyce were still here, "Whatever he would be deciding to do right now would be incredible and so appealing to him. And I wish he was here so we could all be able to see that."

Turner added that the movies "would've never been the same without Cameron," while Malia Baker shared that you "can feel" his legacy on set.

"Watching him on screen – I never got to know him in person, but I feel like I can sense his energy just off of how lively and just how special he was on screen and his essence," Morgan Dudley added. "I don't think that'll ever go away. And that's what made Descendants so special. So much of it was what he brought to it, just his life."

Related: Rita, Brandy, Kylie and More! All the Stars at the Descendants: The Rise of Red Premiere

The stars have previously spoken about Boyce's legacy, with Reneé telling PEOPLE, "We could not have done this without him. Descendants would not be what it is without him. You just can't continue a story without paying tribute to the most important part of Descendants.”

Meanwhile, McClain added that she was “apprehensive” about doing another Descendants movie following Boyce’s death.

“Cam was the first heartbreak I’ve ever experienced," she said in an exclusive statement to PEOPLE. "But once I saw how excited the new generation of kids were, it reminded me of myself when we created the original films."

The latest film, Descendants: The Rise of Red, appears to leave the door open for more installments down the road with its cliffhanger ending. During previous conversations with PEOPLE ahead of the premiere, Cantrall and Baker expressed their desire to return for another movie.

“Here’s hoping,” Baker said about a potential follow-up, adding that she would personally enjoy seeing Cinderella and King Charming’s land explored more in another film. “I would love to see more of Chloe's home life and how it's changed since she got back,” she said.

Meanwhile, Cantrall said she’d love to see Red's new dynamic with her mom. “That's drastically going to change their relationship, so I'm interested to see how that's going to work,” she said. “Also Red and Chloe and them now being really tight, I think that that's going to be cool to watch.”

Related: Zendaya Auditioned for Descendants 'Over and Over,' Former Disney Channel Exec Reveals: 'Really Wanted It'

Additionally, Brandy and Paolo Montalban, who reprise their roles as Cinderella and Prince Charming more than two decades after starring in Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella, are eager to play the characters again.

“You know we will be open for another Descendants,” Brandy said. “I'm open to everything. I just want to see how far they can take the characters because the sky's the limit.”

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Descendants: The Rise of Red is currently streaming on Disney+

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