Fans of Monsters, Inc. have long wondered about the fate of Boo (Mary Gibbs), the lovable human girl who formed an unlikely friendship with monsters James P. “Sulley” Sullivan (John Goodman) and Mike Wazowski (Billy Crystal) in the original 2001 animated hit.
While the 2013 prequel Monsters University and the Disney+ series Monsters at Work failed to bring Boo back into the fold, that hasn’t stopped fans from wanting to see her return in Monsters, Inc. 2—or even another future installment of some kind.
Monsters, Inc. (2001)
Monsters, Inc. is a heart-warming story about the unlikely friendship between two monsters and a human child. Boo’s relationship with Sulley was central to the film’s emotional core, and the ending—which sees Sulley reunite with Boo in in the human world—left fans wondering what might happen to her after the events of the movie.
The ending implies that Sulley continues to visit Boo off screen from time to time. While this left the door wide open for Boo’s return in a sequel (no pun intended), in 2013, the prequel Monsters University ruined any chances of an immediate sequel, instead focusing on how Sulley and Mike became best friends while at college long before they met Boo.
Monsters at Work
Monsters at Work acts as a sequel of sorts to the 2001 film and follows a new cast of characters. As revealed at the end of the film, the titular company has now shifted from scaring children to making them laugh, which powers the entire city of Monstropolis.
The 2021 series, which currently spans two seasons, welcomed the return of John Goodman as Sulley and Billy Crystal as Mike. But Boo was nowhere to be found.
Before the series premiered, however, showrunner Bobs Gannaway spoke to The New York Times about Boo’s absence. He confirmed that there had been discussions with Monsters, Inc. director Pete Docter, and they agreed that the fate of Boo and her relationship with Sulley and Mike should remain a mystery.
Gannaway stated, “Everyone agreed that we wanted to leave it to the world to decide how that relationship continued.” This decision to leave Boo’s future open-ended fits with the theme of the Monsters, Inc. films, where the boundaries between the monster world and human world remain, at times, unclear.
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Could Boo Return in a Future Monsters, Inc. Project?
With no signs of Boo in the prequel or the television series, the question remains: could she return in a potential Monsters, Inc. 2? There are a few possibilities.
Monsters, Inc. 2 could explore what happened to Boo after the events of the first film. Given that Sulley and Mike are now in charge of the factory, it’s possible Boo could return as a grown-up, reconnecting with the monsters who changed her life. Alternatively, perhaps she has remained in contact with the monsters all this time.
For now, Monsters, Inc. fans will have to wait and see if Boo ever makes a return to the screen, either in a new Monsters movie or possibly in future seasons of Monsters at Work.
Monsters, Inc. stars John Goodman (James “Sulley” Sullivan), Billy Crystal (Mike Wazowski), Jenifer Tilly (Celia), and Steve Buscemi (Randall Boggs).
The two films and the television series are now streaming on Disney+.
Would you like to see Boo return in a future Monsters, Inc. installment? Let us know in the comments down below!
