With the critically-acclaimed Hoppers now in theaters and (hopefully) set to give Pixar a much-needed win at the box office, Chief Creative Officer Pete Docter (via the Wall Street Journal) has confirmed a recent rumour relating to the third instalment in one of the studio's most beloved properties.
A third Monsters, Inc. movie is now officially in development. We're not sure if it will be a direct sequel or a prequel in the same vein as the second film, Monsters University, but the former seems more likely.
Docter also confirmed that, in addition to this June's Toy Story 5, The Incredibles 3 will release in 2028, and Coco 2 is currently expected to hit theaters in 2029.
In addition, two new original Pixar movies have been announced: Ono Ghost Market - which is inspired by Asian myths about supernatural bazaars where the living and dead interact - and the studio's first-ever musical (a title was not revealed) from Turning Red director Domee Shi.
In the interview, Docter said that he wants Pixar to "re-embrace the universally relatable concepts like talking toys and monsters in the closet that once made it a juggernaut."
“As time’s gone on, I realized my job is to make sure the films appeal to everybody. If we’re going to just crank crap out, let’s shut the doors,” he added. “I’d rather die trying to make something that we genuinely believe in.”
Some have taken this as a sign that the studio plans to pull back on diversifying its projects going forward, but it sounds like Docter simply wants to return to the concepts and stories that made Pixar such a massive success in the first place.
"The odds of success are longer than in the age of Finding Nemo and Wall-E," notesThe WSJ. "Across Hollywood, original movies are struggling to get people off their phones and into theaters. Pixarians, as they call themselves, are painfully aware that the most successful original animated film in recent years was a streaming hit on Netflix: KPop Demon Hunters. Disney’s business model is built on box-office success."
"Ever since he was a kid monster, Mike Wazowski (Billy Crystal) has dreamed of becoming a Scarer. To make his dream a reality, he enrolls at Monsters University. During his first semester, he meets Sulley (John Goodman), a natural-born Scarer. Sulley and Mike engage in a fierce rivalry that ultimately gets them both kicked out of MU's elite Scare Program. To make things right, Mike and Sulley -- along with a bunch of misfit monsters -- will have to learn to work together."