Leaning Into Sequels, Disney Revives Two More Pixar Franchises - Inside the Magic

Earlier this month, Disney CEO Bob Iger told analysts that Walt Disney Studios, Marvel Studios, and Pixar Studios were moving away from original stories and leaning into intellectual properties the studios already own.

Iger said:

We’re going to balance sequels with originals, particularly in animation. We had gone through a period when our original films in animation, both Disney and Pixar, were dominating. We’re now swinging back a bit to lean on sequels. 

If you look at Disney’s slate of films for 2024 and beyond, it will rely heavily on sequels and live-action remakes. Pixar, Marvel, and Disney will not release an original film this year alone.

Pixar will release Inside Out 2 (2024) this year, Marvel will release Deadpool and Wolverine, and Disney Studios will release Moana 2 and Mufasa: The Lion King. 

Even beyond this year, Disney is heavily investing in sequels, with Toy Story 5 and Frozen 3 making their way into theaters.

But why the reliance on a sequel? The short answer is safety. A sequel has built-in stories and characters that a loyal fanbase knows and loves.

So, Disney has doubled down on this strategy, and if rumors are to be believed, two of PIxar’s most beloved franchises are about to get another chapter.

Finding Nemo and The Incredibles Getting Sequels

According to reports, Pixar is in the process of creating The Incredible 3 and Finding Nemo 3. The two films are in the developmental stage and most likely would not hit theaters until 2026 or 27.

The Incredibles (2004) made $631 million, and The Incredible 2 (2018) made $1.242 billion. The characters from the film series also have an extensive presence throughout Disney Parks.

Finding Nemo (2003) was an even bigger hit, bringing in $940.4 million, and Finding Dory (2016) brought in $1.029 billion.

While both The Incredibles and Finding Nemo seem to have wrapped up the franchises at the end of their final two films, fans have seen that with the Toy Story franchise, Disney Pixar can find a way to bring back those long, lost characters.

With most recent Pixar Animation Studios films struggling to find an audience, it only makes sense that The Walt Disney Company would push them toward more sequels.

While the Pixar film, Elemental (2023), made a respectable $496.4 million at the box office after a slow star, the Buzz Lightyear prequel, Lightyear (2022), was one of the lowest performing movies of 2022.

So, it only makes sense that Pixar Animation Studios is bringing back a Finding Nemo sequel and Mr Incredible and the Parr family for another run.

Hopefully, the Pixar movie Elio (2025) will break the studio out of its funk, or we’ll get nothing but sequels for the foreseeable future.

What do you think about Pixar’s return to the well with the sequels to Finding Nemo and Incredibles?