Summary
Disney’s subsidiaryPixaris responsible for some of the most successful animated sequels of all time, but asScreen Rantlearned atD23 2024: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event, the mega-studio is not going to simply turn Pixar into a sequel factory. Disney and Pixar proved that a high-quality sequel is still a complete game-changer, as the studio’sInside Out 2recently became the highest-grossing animated filmof all time when it surpassedFrozen II’s box office gross. While there were some in the industry that believed Pixar would simply focus on sequels, D23 proved that won’t be the case.
In addition to the upcoming sci-fi movieElio, Pixar will release anotheroriginal movie in 2026 titledHoppers. Described as a body-swap comedy,Hopperswill feature the voice talents of Jon Hamm, Bobby Moynihan and Piper Curda. After the relative box office disappointment of its latest animated film,Elemental, Pixar is understandably going to dip back into the sequel well withToy Story 5, but the D23 announcement ofHoppersis important in the grand scheme of Disney’s overall animation slate.
All 5 Pixar Movies That Made $1 Billion At The Box Office
Pixar’s five highest-grossing movies owe their financial success to strong storytelling, marketable casts, and hype surrounding them being sequels.
Hoppers Proves Disney Still Has Interest In Pixar Original Movies
Disney believes Pixar can still create another classic
After two decades of essentially not missing at the box office or with critics,Pixar entered a bit of a cold spell in the 2020s.Onward,Lightyear, andElementalwere all considered underperformers in different ways, whether at the box office or with how they resonated with fans.Soul,Luca, andTurning Redwere all well-received by critics and fans, but since they were released directly on Disney+ thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s difficult to judge exactly how much revenue they brought in.
Hopperswill center on an ambitious girl named Mabel who transfers her mind to a robotic beaver to infiltrate and further study the animal world.
Understandably, Disney and Pixar turned their attention to sequels likeToy Story 5,Frozen 3,Moana 2, andIncredibles 3, which was announced at D23. However, the announcement ofHoppersproves thatDisney and Pixar aren’t going to stay content with churning out money-making sequels. The originality and creativity of Pixar has been its bread-and-butter since the release ofToy Storyin 1995, and the studio and its parent company still believe there are quality original stories it can tell.
Why Disney Can’t Use Pixar To Just Focus On Sequels
Disney Animation Studios is already focusing on sequels
As successful as many of Pixar’s sequels have been, Disney can’t simply relegate the studio to pumping out sequels. The biggest reason is thatDisney itself is currently focusing on sequels. As of now, Disney Animation Studios is slated to release two sequels/prequels before the end of 2024 (Moana 2, Mufasa: The Lion King) and has bothZootopia 2and twoFrozensequels in the works. The good will on sequels will eventually run out for some of these franchises, and it’s important that Disney explores the opportunity for new franchises after missing on movies likeOnwardandElemental.
2024
2019
2023
2013
2018
2015
2010
2017
2016
$1.028B
Pixar
While some of its monster hits like theFrozen, Inside OutandToy Storyfranchises are still clearly reliable,Disney no longer has a monopoly at the box office for animated films. Illumination has proved to be just as capable of churning out a mega-franchise, and Dreamworks Animation has produced several high-grossing franchises in the last 10-15 years. It’s important that they continue to push the boundaries on animation to stay ahead of the pack, and Pixar is the greatest weapon Disney has at its disposal in that regard.
