Suite von erfolgreichen Filmen und neuen Universen Pixar beschleunigt weiterhin seine Produktion
After years of mixed results, Pixar is betting on a clever mix of original projects and the return of popular franchises like The Incredibles or Finding Nemo to regain its former glory.
At Pixar, the time is for strategic reflection. After a few difficult years marked by the box office failures of Lightyear in 2022 and Elementary in 2023, as well as the direct-to-streaming release of Soul, Luca, and Red Alert during the pandemic, the famous animation studio is considering new directions to reconnect with success. And this could well involve the return of some of its most popular franchises like The Incredibles and Finding Nemo.
A new ambitious production pace
According to information reported by Bloomberg, Pixar President Jim Morris indicated in an interview that the studio now plans to release three films every two years. The idea would be to alternate between original projects and sequels or spin-offs of established brands, in order to revive public interest and remind viewers what they loved so much about Pixar.
This sustained pace has already begun with the highly anticipated release of Inside Out 2 on June 14, 2024, nine years after the original film won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature in 2016. This will be followed by Elio, a new project set for 2025, and then Toy Story 5 in 2026, proof that the Buzz and Woody saga is still at the heart of the studio’s concerns.
The Incredibles and Nemo, highly anticipated returns
But the franchises that have Pixar salivating for potential new iterations are The Incredibles and Finding Nemo. It must be said that both licenses had been box office hits worldwide:
- Finding Nemo (2003): $940 million
- The Incredibles (2004): $633 million
- Finding Dory (2016): $1.029 billion
- The Incredibles 2 (2018): $1.243 billion
The family of superheroes and the forgetful fish also received rave reviews, with scores above 90% on Rotten Tomatoes for each of the four films. Performances and a love rating that bode well for new installments.
However, Pete Docter, Pixar’s Chief Creative Officer, is reassuring. Before diving in, the teams want to make sure they have a good story to tell, whether it’s for Nemo or the Incredibles. „Where haven’t we been in the ocean yet? The ocean is a vast space. I think there are many opportunities to seize. We’re kind of fishing left and right,“ he explains mischievously.
The future of Pixar, between a return to its roots and new challenges
Beyond sequels, Pixar is also counting on new characters and universes to attract the public. After Elio next year, an undisclosed project by Domee Shi, the director of Red Alert, is in the pipeline.
The idea is to reaffirm the unique identity of the studio, as Jim Morris points out: „There’s a flavor of film that we make that’s a bit unique. These are small stories written on a large canvas, and when they’re at their best, they’ve given the audience something to laugh, cry, and think about a bit.“
On the small screen, while derivative series are in development for Disney+, including a spin-off of Inside Out, Pixar is clear about its priorities. „I hope we won’t release any more movies directly on Disney+,“ insists Jim Morris. The theatrical release remains paramount.
It is true that despite some recent setbacks, Pixar can boast a prolific 2010 decade in terms of creativity and boldness, with strong original films like Inside Out, Coco, Soul, or Luca. While reigniting the flame of the franchises that made its success, the studio intends to continue surprising and moving audiences with new singular stories.
Between nostalgia and novelty, Pixar seems determined to write a new chapter in its great history. Stay tuned in the coming months and years to discover what animated adventures the famous lamp has in store for us, on the big and small screens.
Main image credit: Pixar/Disney
