Pixar is desperate to get families back into the theaters after the COVID-19 pandemic sent many of its releases straight to Disney Plus. The company has failed to recapture the magic in a bottle that thrust it into fame so long ago. Movies like Soul and Turning Red saw some success on streaming, but Pixar fans have not gravitated as much to them.
The company saw significant losses with its Lightyear theatrical release last year, and critics haven’t exactly had universal praise for Elemental. Many high-profile layoffs occurred due to these issues.
With such a heavy string of losses, many wonder if the company will regain its former glory. Its next attempt comes with a sequel to Inside Out in the following year, and a new Toy Story is also starting production. The question remains of whether other Pixar franchise sequels are possible.
Sequels and Stressers in a Post-COVID World
Pixar creative chief officer Pete Docter recently met with Variety to address the situation. Docter clarified that all bets, including possible sequels to Cars, Finding Nemo, and Incredibles, are on the table. The defining factor is sticking to a philosophy where films center around life issues that resonate with audiences. He told Variety:
Right now, the world seems to want the comfort of what they know, which is sequels, and movies based on things like comic books or video games. But all of these things were original at one point. I think it’s essential for us to develop new original stories, which are harder to publicize, harder to get people excited to go see them. But I think audiences deserve it.
Docter explains that families are more selective about going to the theater nowadays because it is expensive. Original films have a much tougher time justifying the cost to consumers. He hopes to continue to strike a balance between familiar and new titles and stresses that movies like Peter Sohn’s Elemental are more impactful on the big screen. The failure of Lightyear, based on the character Buzz Lightyear from Toy Stoy, shows that familiarity can only take you so far.
Pixar’s admitted elephant in the room comes from Disney+. Docter believes audiences have been trained to expect new releases on the streaming platform immediately or soon after a theatrical release. The platform has become a mixed blessing for the studio as it makes their films accessible but lowers the chance of success on the big screen.
Walt Disney Animation Studios has also seen its share of troubles. The recent live-action Little Mermaid movie didn’t break ground at the overseas box office, and they are moving forward with another Frozen sequel after releasing the original Wish this fall.
The good news is that Pixar has much to look forward to in the coming year. The studio is releasing its Inside Out sequel next summer. Docter says the film will introduce many more emotions than the first and praises what the team put together. It also gave the world a sneak peek into its next original story, Elio. In addition, a new Disney+ series is set to debut. There are chances to recapture that magic, but only time will tell if it can.
