October Animation Tidbits [#2]

Tidbit time...

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Willem Dafoe recently talked about Finding Dory. Recording sessions have begun, which indicates that the script is already in great shape. Dafoe confirmed the other day that he is indeed returning to voice Gill, and he also said "It's even better than the first. It’s fantastic. It’s good to say I think it’s going to be better than the first; that’s good advertising!"

To hear him (he recently criticized reboot The Amazing Spider-Man, a film he has not even seen, for being a "cynical approach to making money") be enthusiastic about a sequel that many are having a hard time warming up to is something of a good sign, don't you think? Or is it just PR sugarcoating?

Finding Dory can very well be like Toy Story 2, folks. Just because Cars 2 (which obviously wasn't going to be fantastic to begin with) and Monsters University didn't fully deliver as sequels/prequels doesn't mean Finding Dory can't. Andrew Stanton and crew may just surprise us all.

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Disney Animators' Instagram unveiled this...

If that's Big Hero 6's official logo, then that's great. I already love the look of it, very Marvel-esque but also anime-esque. It perfectly describes the "big" scope and the Japanese flair of this upcoming Walt Disney Animation Studios film. Now hopefully we'll get some sort of official logo reveal some time soon!

And... I might be too hopeful here, but I'd love to see a teaser before Frozen... Heck, use that test scene as the teaser and get the word out! C'mon Disney marketing.

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Two directors have been attached to the 2016 Angry Birds animated film...

Disney veteran/supervising animator Clay Katis is one of them, who was the supervising animator on Bolt and Tangled. He also worked on several other films during his 19-year tenure at the studio.

Veteran storyboard artist Fergal Reilly is the other, his credits include The Iron Giant, Spider-Man 2 and most of Sony Animation's films... This leads me to believe that this film - which is being distributed by Sony - will be a partial Sony Pictures Animation production. Maybe. Summer 2016 is blank right now, usually they release two films in a calendar year and one around this time. According to Cartoon Brew, Rovio is producing it in-house (they're based in Finland), but it's possible that Sony Animation could work on some of it. But come to think of it, you would've heard something early on by Sony Animation themselves...

That's a strong line-up there. The screenwritter, Jon Vitti... Well... Simpsons veteran, but he wrote the two Alvin and the Chipmunks movies. Good choice for a film like this though, because we all know it won't be anything spectacular - it'll be a diversion for the kiddies. Solid choice for the script, if there is much of a script. (A silent film would be interesting, but that probably won't happen.)

I'm not excited for it, but I'm sure a lot of kids and fans will be. That's who they are probably aiming for with this film... But will Angry Birds still be popular with young'uns three years from now?

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What do you think of Dafoe's comments on Finding Dory? What do you think of the Big Hero 6 logo? Do you think that'll be the final one? Or do you think it's just a prototype? What's your take on the Angry Birds movie? What do you think of the fact that they got those two animation veterans to direct it?

Sound off below!

The Duel

For a while, two major animated films have been slated to open on June 17, 2016...

Fox and DreamWorks claimed this date first, placing How To Train Your Dragon 3 there. That was last summer...

This past May, Walt Disney Pictures picked that same date for an untitled/undetermined Pixar film when unveiling their 2016-2018 animation slate. Until now, we presumed that it would be Lee Unkrich's "Day of the Dead" project. Due to what happened in the last few weeks with The Good Dinosaur, Finding Dory is now set to open on that day - that sequel was originally scheduled for a November 25, 2015 release.

So... On the warm summer day of June 17th in the year 2016, we'll have the first major head-to-head animation battle since Don Bluth's All Dogs Go to Heaven was released by United Artists on the same day as The Little Mermaid back in 1989. It wasn't the last head-to-head animation battle, mind you. Universal released An American Tail: Fievel Goes West the same day as Beauty and the Beast in 1991, but let's face it... That was no "major" animation battle; Disney had it in the bag, plain and simple.

*Note: The whole Peanuts vs. Finding Dory thing was a big mistake on my part. A copy of Fox's animation slate had Peanuts listed for a November 25th release, so I assumed that Fox moved it to Dory's original release date to compete... The film is still - and has always been - slated to open on November 6, 2015.

So...

Finding Dory vs. How To Train Your Dragon 3...

VS.

I don't know about you, but this just can't work out. DreamWorks may have claimed the date first, but no way is Disney going to move Finding Dory (or any Pixar film for that matter) from Pixar's typical mid-June spot unless they opt for a Memorial Day weekend release. Nothing has that spot right now, so Disney can very well move the Pixar sequel to that date. Also, Finding Nemo opened on the last Friday of May in 2003, The Good Dinosaur was almost a late May release... It would make perfect sense, actually.

The question is, will they? Or do they want to go head-to-head with Fox and DreamWorks?

Would Fox and DreamWorks move the How To Train Your Dragon threequel? Maybe, but since the second film has a similar mid-June release date for next year (June 13th), they probably wouldn't move this. How To Train Your Dragon 2 is poised to be 2014's biggest animated film, box office-wise. It's possible that this sequel will soar past the original, much like how Despicable Me 2 did this summer.

If the two are to be released on the same day, what would happen?

Finding Dory is the sequel to one of Pixar's most beloved films. Finding Nemo's then-record breaking domestic gross adjusts to $459 million today. The sequel is definitely opening with more than $100 million on its opening weekend - Monsters University most likely didn't reach that threshold on opening weekend because it was a prequel. The general public will be ecstatic about the sequel, loyal fans will be, it'll probably break the record for biggest opening weekend for an animated feature.

How To Train Your Dragon 3 will undoubtedly be big if the sequel breaks out. The first film was huge because of the excellent word of mouth and lack of competition, if Dragon 2 does very well (which it should, no way this sequel should not make as much as the original), this ought to be really big. $100 million could be in the cards, actually.

The problem is, both films' grosses will be affected. I think it would be wise if one of the studios were to move their film. I think Disney should be the one to do it, because Fox really can't move Dragon 3, plus Disney would want the best possible gross from a Pixar film - especially a sequel to one of their biggest.

Disney could very well take Pixar's film and move it forward. Something like May 27, 2016 would work out quite well. Or Fox could take that date, but again, I think DreamWorks would want to stick to the mid-June date and also... They got it first.

I think the best scenario would be this (including other summer blockbusters/ big releases)...

Marvel Untitled - May 6, 2016
Some blockbuster... - May 13, 2016
Some blockbuster... - May 20, 2016
Finding Dory - May 27, 2016
Some blockbuster... - June 3, 2016
The Amazing Spider-Man 3 - June 10, 2016
How To Train Your Dragon 3 - June 17, 2016

It would give both films room to breathe in the blockbuster battlefield. Andrew Stanton and crew will still have more than enough time to fine-tune Finding Dory, since that release date is only a few weeks ahead of the current one. DreamWorks can keep their date, and their film will be successful despite any competition. (Does anyone really think that Angry Birds will take a toll on Dragon's box office performance?)

Interestingly enough, since Disney opted to release a Pixar film on the same day as Dragon, Fox retaliated by slating an animated film to open on the same day as Pixar's summer 2017 release - Disney claimed that date first. Now if this whole "duel" between Dory and Dragon 3 is canceled, and that both open on separate dates, then maybe Fox will move DreamWorks' June 2017 release to another date.

What do you think will end up happening? Sound off below and be sure to vote in the poll!

Update (10/8/13): Okay folks, here are the results!

10 of you think that Disney will have to move the Pixar sequel to another date.

21 readers think that Fox will end up moving How To Train Your Dragon 3.

12 readers say that both films will just end up opening on the same day.

Seems like many of you can see Dragon 3 being moved, and honestly, that's looking to be more plausible than Disney moving Finding Dory. Disney is an entertainment giant, and would they move a Pixar film just because a DreamWorks film had that date first? If anything, that answer will be no - I'm just surprised that no one has a move yet... But a lot of you think that it'll be DreamWorks who will end up moving their film.

It may just happen. Again, thanks for voting, people!

A Piece to the Puzzle?

The Pixar Times put up a great article on Andrew Stanton's recent words on the follow-up to his 2003 masterpiece. Finding Dory is still on track for its fall 2015 release, but of course everything has been kept under wraps.

Stanton was against sequels for a long time, but lately he's been quietly talking about them. Last summer, he talked about how the Pixar sequels were "comfort food" for them and probably the audience. He also said that we may see more sequels in the future since the people at the studio aren't "blinded" anymore, since they are a business after all. In speaking with The Los Angeles Times, who ran a rather positive piece on sequels, Stanton stated...

"It’s more often that somebody fails at a sequel than they succeed. You don’t want it to be derivative or redundant."

All of Pixar's sequels aren't derivative or redundant. Even the dreaded Cars 2, which is certainly not anything like its predecessor. People may be disheartened by the amount of sequels Pixar has made lately, but there's one thing that the sequels don't do: Rehash what made their predecessor work. Give them props for trying a different story with each sequel.

"There was polite inquiry from Disney [about a Finding Nemo sequel]. I was always ‘No sequels, no sequels.’ But I had to get on board from a VP standpoint. [Sequels] are part of the necessity of our staying afloat, but we don’t want to have to go there for those reasons. We want to go there creatively, so we said [to Disney], ‘Can you give us the timeline about when we release them? Because we’d like to release something we actually want to make, and we might not come up with it the year you want it."

Again, I always found his comments on some of this to be a bit contradictory. Going back to the comment he made about sequels and originals last summer, the originals do bring in a boatload of cash. In fact, Up outgrossed the likes of Cars 2 and Monsters University. WALL-E, Ratatouille and several other originals grossed more than $500 million worldwide so they don't need to depend on sequels. Finding Nemo is their second highest grossing film of all time, it's an original!

That being said, at least Stanton says that they'll do a sequel when they are ready, not when Disney wants one. Of course, that's all contrary to popular belief that Pixar just wants to "churn out sequels to make money/they don't care about art anymore." Toy Story 3 turned out to be excellent, and Monsters University was damn good. We have not seen Finding Dory yet, and people are already assuming right off the bat that it's going to be a blemish. A bad film! An embarrassment to the original! Another sign of the studio's "decline"! Yep, tell me more about that crystal ball of yours...

Anyways, a good chunk of people who believe that Pixar is declining tend to point the finger at Disney, saying that they were the cause behind Cars 2, Monsters University and Finding Dory (they conveniently leave Toy Story 3 out) and the overall quality of Cars 2, Brave and Monsters University. I'm sure Disney wants sequels, being a corporation and all, but going by what I've gathered over the years - they don't seem to force Pixar to make sequels. If they did, why haven't they forced Walt Disney Animation Studios to make a sequel to something like Tangled or Wreck-It Ralph? They seem more sequel-happy with their live action stuff than with what's going on in the animated front.

For the sake of those who don't know (gotta go in broken record mode here!), Toy Story 3, Monsters University and Finding Dory exist because of the copyrighted scripts for the aborted Disney/Circle 7 sequels to Toy Story, Monsters, Inc. and Finding Nemo. You know, the ones that were supposed to be made if Pixar were to break away from Disney after Cars. Pixar had to "overwrite" all three, but they did so when they wanted to. If that wasn't the case, Toy Story 3 would've been out in theaters quicker. No, they made sure that they delivered a fantastic finale to that trilogy. They pounced that right after the merger because they finally had the chance to make the finale they wanted to make, since one was brewing for a while. Finally getting the rights to their work back, it makes sense that Pixar's Toy Story 3 began pre-production in 2006. At one time, Toy Story 3 was actually scheduled for 2009... But guess what? It got moved to summer 2010! Monsters University was put into development some time in 2007 or early 2008 (some concept artwork is dated 2008, and it was hinted at back then), so they spent 5-6 years working on it. Maybe even more! Finding Dory? Well we have no idea, but I assume they waited a while to "overwrite" the Circle 7 'Finding Nemo 2', they didn't just dive right into it right after the merger. I'd say 2009 was when they started working on it, which will mean that they spent 6 years working on it. Typical timeframe for a Pixar film.

All of this, I firmly believe, explains why these sequels exist, why they all came/are coming out between 2010 and 2015, and why they came out so close to each other. Cars 2, again, is the anomaly of the bunch since there's no evidence that Circle 7 greenlit a sequel to Cars back in 2004/2005. Again, my conspiracy theory is that Bob Iger coaxed John Lasseter into making it after merchandise sales went through the roof and Lasseter agreed to make it because he's in love in with his universe. Can't blame him!

So basically, Pixar had to make Toy Story 3, a Monsters, Inc. sequel/prequel, and a Finding Nemo sequel. They went about the latter two in the best way possible, by not making them right off the bat. If Pixar only cared about churning out sequels, you'd see Monsters University and Finding Dory a lot sooner. As rushed, poorly-made films on top of that. No, originals exist and they continue to exist. Finding Dory is not coming out until late 2015. Why? Because two originals are coming first. But those two films don't exist, right? Right? Again, why would Pixar do two originals and then a sequel if all they cared about was mindlessly churning out sequels?

Unfortunately, Stanton or anyone at Pixar probably won't tell us about the Circle 7 deal. I think Stanton is giving us some sugarcoated PR talk, because Finding Dory exists for a reason. Disney "politely inquiring" about a Nemo sequel is not it. Pixar being money-hungry and just reared on numbers is definitely not it. John Carter bombing was not it, either. Finding Dory was most likely in the works before John Carter was officially put into production in 2010. The Circle 7 thing went down in 2004, so a Nemo sequel has been around before Stanton even got the opportunity to direct an adaptation of Edgar Rice Burroughs' influential stories. Pixar could've put some rookie in the director's chair to handle a Nemo sequel in 2006 after the merger and have the thing out in 2009/2010, just rush it out quickly. Nope, they waited a while. The official announcement came early this year, and the film is not out till 2015. That's nearly decade since the merger! Now compare that to another big studio (animation or not) greenlighting a sequel right after the first one does incredibly well on opening weekend, and the thing arrives 2-3 years later. Every Pixar sequel has arrived over 5 years after their respective predecessors; even the rushed cash-grab Cars 2 didn't arrive immediately.

In the end, I don't think Stanton's comments fully explain the existence of Finding Dory but they do help subdue the ever-expanding and annoying super-skepticism towards Pixar. The quality of Toy Story 3 and Monsters University more than help as well... It just goes to show, Pixar does take sequels seriously and will try to make them great or at least very good companion pieces to the originals. Also, remember what Ed Catmull had to say? Yes indeed, any sequel made after Finding Dory is one that they want to make. Not one they have to overwrite or make because Disney wants them to (well, maybe except for a third Cars, but I think the Planes franchise will make Disney happy in the meantime), so whatever sequel comes after 2015 will be one that isn't forced or one that had to be made. Plus, if Disney was really forcing sequels, we'd already see a rushed Brad Bird-less Incredibles 2 around this time. In fact, a sequel to that film is not in the cards at all. Not until Brad Bird says one will be made. Yeah, Disney is "forcing" sequels alright...

Going back to the whole "staying afloat" thing, Pixar is also a business in addition to being a studio. The originals are the foundation of the company, but a few sequels here and there (that are good, mind you) aren't necessarily a terrible thing. After this wave of four sequels/prequels, it'll be "original central" for a good while with very few sequels in between. Not bad, I'd say...

Pixar Confirms Nemo Sequel

It's official... Disney and Pixar have announced that Finding Nemo's long-rumored follow-up is now actually happening. No, it isn't Finding Nemo "2"... Instead, it's...

*cue the drumroll*

The sequel is scheduled to open on November 25, 2015. For a while, I've been wondering what that cryptic untitled Pixar project that was scheduled for release that day would turn out to be. Looks like my fifth theory came true! Will this be the first time Pixar will release two films in one year? Maybe, I can't see them moving the sequel just yet, though every time it seems like Pixar will release two films a year, it does not happen. Well, we'll see.

Set one year after its predecessor, Finding Dory will be set off of the coast of California and will be about Dory reuniting with her family. Director Andrew Stanton explained, "One thing we could not stop thinking about was why she was all alone in the ocean on the day she met Marlin. In Finding Dory she will be reunited with her loved ones, learning a few things about the meaning of family along the way."

Come to think of it, we didn't know much about Dory's beginnings in the first film or anything about her life before she met Marlin. That doesn't harm the film's story in any way, but I think her backstory is something worth diving into for a sequel. This is why I think this sequel has a lot of potential, despite what people may think. Toy Story 2 did the impossible and equalled the high quality of its predecessor, but also fleshing out characters we already came to know and love. I expect this film to do the same for Dory. I'm not saying that she needed a backstory detailed in Finding Nemo, but it is a fantastic and potentially very heartfelt idea for a sequel. No searching for someone who is lost, but rather a spiritual journey.

This is why I'm not too worried about this project. Yes, it could turn out to be a disaster but you got to give Pixar credit. All of their sequels aren't rehashes of their predecessors. Toy Story 2 and Toy Story 3 expanded upon the characters while taking them to new locations. Cars 2 took the Radiator Springs gang around the world and gave us a spy story. At least this isn't about finding Nemo again, I knew the folks at Pixar would not go this route for the sequel.

Of course, many will immediately freak out over this... Not in a good way, though. People will keep being pessimistic about the future of Pixar and will immediately write this sequel off as a shameless cash cow. Finding Dory exists for a reason... Not because Pixar is out of ideas. They have five original productions in the pipeline, and this is the only sequel/prequel/spin-off after Monsters University hits theaters in June. No, Finding Dory mostly exists because of the whole Circle 7 issue...

Before Disney acquired Pixar in 2006, Disney under Michael Eisner (prior to his resignation in late 2005) commissioned sequels to Pixar's films. They were to be produced by a newly-formed studio called Circle 7 Animation. At the time, it seemed likely that Pixar and Disney were going to split, and that the last Pixar film released by Disney would be Cars. Of course, they would own the rights to all the films and characters from Toy Story to Cars. Disney was also making direct-to-video sequels to their own films, only just to cash in on them. Their sequels to Pixar films were no different.

Three sequels made it into the development phase with screenplays prepared.

Toy Story 3: This is the one where Buzz Lightyear gets recalled, which evolved out of a story where the toy gang are sent to Andy's grandmother's house. This one was famous because the plot details were revealed back in the day, and it was apparent that the film would debut in 2008.

Monsters, Inc. 2: Mike and Sulley want to visit Boo after many years have passed. They go through her door to see that she has moved, so they find themselves looking for her in the human world.

Finding Nemo 2: A screenplay was written, but no details have been revealed. I assume that some will surface sometime soon.

So after Disney bought Pixar, Pixar essentially had to "overwrite" these three films that were close to actually being made. In early 2006, Circle 7 Animation was shut down and Pixar started work on their own Toy Story 3... The result was a masterpiece!

Next, they had to do a Monsters, Inc. follow-up. They went the prequel route, which is why Monsters University was made... Plus Pixar had kicked around some ideas for a follow-up for a while. We don't know whether it'll be good or bad, mediocre or average. All we know is that it's coming in two months.

Finding Dory completes this sort of trio of sequels that Pixar ultimately had to do, so after it's released they won't have to do any more. They can do a sequel if they want to or not. For example, Brad Bird can do an Incredibles follow-up if he has the desire to do one. The same goes for all the studio's other films. But we know Pixar, and we know that they wouldn't just announce millions of sequels out the wazoo. Skeptics want to believe that, but I feel that these skeptics don't know why Cars 2, Monsters University and Finding Dory happened/are happening in the first place. They may say "Pixar is out of ideas", but that's not the reason... If they are, explain those five upcoming original productions.

Any further news surrounding this film will be swamped with doubt, but a lot of general audiences are going to love the sound of "A Finding Nemo sequel is coming". Ellen DeGeneres herself is beyond excited for it, and I already see enthusiasm from the folks at Pixar. Lee Unkrich excitedly announced it, too!

It’s official! twitter.com/leeunkrich/sta…
— Lee Unkrich (@leeunkrich) April 2, 2013

Finding Dory can be a great sequel. You never know. We can be a bit skeptical... After all, the original is so great. The sequel does have a lot to live up to. But Toy Story 2 did it, and Toy Story 3 did it! Monsters University may do it too! Leave Cars 2 out of this or any of the recent production problems that surrounded that film and Brave. I'm optimistic for this sequel, though I do realize that it could be a disappointment. Again, you never know... It could be very well be another rare sequel that equals the original.

Nemo in the Third Dimension

Yes, that's right. Finding Nemo is worth re-experiencing on the big screen in 3D. The wizards at Pixar have delivered a good post-conversion 3D job, proving that animation is born for 3D more so than any CGI-sprinkled live action film. It also continues Disney's plans to re-release their classics and Pixar's films to theaters, just like Walt Disney himself, even though I could do without the 3D conversions.

Finding Nemo's 3D boasted some great effects, particularly how they used it for depth. I'm no expert on 3D, but it was great how you felt as if you were under the sea during the film. At times, I felt as if the underwater characters were closer to the eye. At other times, no effects are as noticeable. It's never distracting, nor is it done poorly. You won't be missing anything if you don't see it in 3D, though. But the 3D is a nice touch, and the conversion gets my stamp of approval.

What was really good though was re-experiencing this film on the big screen. I first saw Finding Nemo on opening weekend when I was ten years old, and I actually saw it two more times in theaters after that. I rented the DVD nonstop until I finally got it for Christmas, and watched it religiously after that while dissecting every shot and watching all the bonus features. I loved it back then in a different way, but as I got older (and learned about the tricks of the trade in film and storytelling), I gave it a good re-watch and was blown away by the emotional side of the story. That's the last time I saw it, and that was back in 2009.

This viewing, it again reminds me of why I have such respect for Pixar and why lots of other people do to. This happens every time I watch a Pixar film (with the exception of you-know-what), and it's such a satisfying feeling. It really is, a special feeling you get. Pixar knows how to deliver that magic, while several big blockbusters can't: They just come and ago, even a good chunk of the recent animated films can't ever deliver that despite how good some of them can be.

Our theater experience wasn't perfect. The screen and image quality could've been, we had some annoying teenagers babbling from time to time. (Seriously, movie theaters need to enforce stricter rules. A "no talking" message before movies is NOT helping) At times the sound quality was off, as the theater boomed, as if something was wrong with our speakers. But I laughed, I cried, I smiled, I was excited during the action scenes... If a film can do that on a lesser-quality screen, lesser-quality audio and the occasional annoyance from an audience member, then that film is really something special. Do I need anymore reasons to explain the greatness of the Pixar films?

Oh... What about Partysaurus Rex? The third Toy Story Toon, Partysaurus Rex was once again a fun little short film with some genuinely hilarious moments. I actually found it funnier than the previous two shorts, while it was still talky. As long as they do this and not do a fourth film, I'll be happy, because these shorts are amusing. Pixar Canada keeps proving that their work can equal that of their Emeryville friends, as this short looks no different from what we saw in Toy Story 3. It definitely appeals more to the teenagers too, as Rex rocks out to club music of today. It works because it's all set up nicely, and the various partier toys in the bathtub are also a hoot. It's ultra-colorful too (that image alone sums it all up nicely), and I wonder: Will this also show up on the second collection of Pixar short films? Or will it show up on the Blu-ray release of Finding Nemo. I'm guessing it will be the latter, but it could appear on Volume 2 as well. What do you think?

Trailers? Oh yes, as always, I do a rundown of the trailers. Most importantly, we got Wreck-It Ralph, but since the audience was incredibly small (went to a very late showing), there was not much of a reaction except from me and my stepfather (who grew up during the early 80s when most of those games were being released), but alas... We also got a trailer for To The Arctic, an IMAX 3D nature documentary that opened up way back in April. I guess it's another one of those IMAX releases that's always going to be playing, since it's a documentary. Still, attaching it to this was not necessary. We also got the trailer for the 3D re-release of Monsters, Inc. along with Blue Sky's Epic and Illumination's Despicable Me 2. But then we got a trailer for a film called Dino Time, which looks like it was produced ten years ago and it actually came out two years ago in Europe. The animation was subpar, but that's only the beginning. I often remind people of what animated films are family films and what films are only for kids. This fits the latter, with terrible kid-friendly dialogue and awful attempts at comedy. It looked like a Lunchables commercial. The moment in the theater where I have a strong look of disapproval on my face. If you see this trailer in the theater... Oh boy, my condolences...

All of that aside, Finding Nemo is certainly a classic. What can I say that hasn't been said about it many times before? Excellent writing that fires on all cylinders, great heart, an atmospheric score by Thomas Newman, fantastic voice acting from a well-chosen cast and elaborate animation that still holds up today despite a few little things (i.e. the human animation). It's worth seeing again in theaters, and Partysaurus Rex is a lot of fun. Don't miss out.

Back to the Sea

It seems as if the sequel to Andrew Stanton's Pixar classic has been confirmed, just in time for the film's 3D theatrical re-release. Though I'm not really putting much credence in that article (where is that "interview" where Stanton confirmed a Finding Nemo sequel?), I'll still offer my thoughts on the subject.

Since Toy Story 3, Pixar has done quite a couple of sequels all within five years. This was certainly unusual for the company, as many people from the studio have said that they only go through with sequels if they have a great story. Prior to Toy Story 3, Pixar only made one sequel and that was it. Toy Story 3 was fantastic, and definitely lived up to the first two films and some minds, even surpassed them. There was no reason to be skeptical either, since Pixar was behind it after the Disney-Pixar merger and unlike the Hollywood business model, it wasn't coming right off of the success of Toy Story 2. The people at Pixar had a genuinely good idea, while also having to overwrite the potential bomb that Disney's Circle 7 studio has in the making.

As I've said before, Pixar making more and more sequels isn't necessarily a bad thing, as long as they are great films. Again, I am not supportive of more sequels, but we don't know until we see them. Look at their upcoming slate. We're still getting three originals, originals which sound like game-changers for the animation medium and the whole idea of family films. People have become skeptical because of the sequel to their anthropomorphic automobiles film, but I still reject that mindset because Monsters University could turn out to be a masterpiece for all I care. Even if I give the film a B or something, I still won't be shattered. Brave didn't get the A+ I usually I give to Pixar films, but so what? They can't just make A+ films for the rest of eternity, or A-grade films, that's just ridiculous to expect.

So... Finding Nemo 2...

Personally, I don't want it. If it turns out to be an excellent film, I will gladly eat crow. I'm not saying it's going to be a surefire disaster, it's just that I don't believe there needs to be a sequel. It all just screams unnecessary. On the other hand, I think Monsters University was necessary, since it will tell us more about Mike, Sulley and the monster world itself. It's nice to see their past, instead of having them go on a new adventure. Monsters, Inc. was a film you could NOT do a sequel to in my eyes. I have the same feelings towards Finding Nemo.

Unless it isn't "Finding" Nemo this time around. Maybe it's going to be about something else. If they announce that the plot will be about Marlin losing him again, I won't be happy. However, if it's something different, I'll have some hope. Though Toy Story's sequels had the "get back to Andy's house" structure, the three films were all unique. Cars 2 wasn't anything like its predecessor. Monsters University is obviously going to have a much different plot than Monsters, Inc., so they may just come up with a new idea for this film. From all the rumblings we've heard, the Brain Trust at Pixar loves the idea. We didn't hear any of that when Cars 2 was in production, and we've heard that the Brain Trust is all for the Monsters University story.

Still, I just think one doesn't need to be made. To me, a lot of great films are unique on their own, especially animated classics. Personally I don't want to hear that sequels to any of the post-Cars films are being considered, either. The big question is: Why sequels?

Think of the Disney studio, after World War II had such a terrible affect on them. Did Walt do sequels to his beloved films to stay afloat? No, he didn't. Sure, characters from earlier films appeared in the package anthology features (i.e. Jiminy Cricket in Fun & Fancy Free), but he didn't do Bambi 2 or Snow White 2 to keep his studio alive in the 1950s. He kept tackling new stories, and Walt Disney Animation Studios has a history of staying far away from sequels despite how lucrative their classics are. It's telling that the only sequels Disney ever did were to Fantasia and The Rescuers.

Which is was I don't believe Pixar is doing sequels to just keep the business going. It'd be easy to say they've sold out, they're now just all about the money, etc. I don't think so. Toy Story 3 was fantastic, Cars 2 was gap filler (I still believe Bob Iger coaxed John Lasseter into doing it, rather than Lasseter actually having a brand new idea) that none of the Brain Trust seemed to care about. Monsters University has potential... But this does mean that it's okay for Pixar to just do more sequels?

It's a tough issue for me at the moment, because a great Finding Nemo sequel would be a real miracle. At the same time however, I just don't really want one.

What is your take on this? Do you believe that a sequel to Finding Nemo is necessary? Or do you think it's not a good idea? Do you believe that Andrew Stanton and co.'s new idea will work? Or do you think it's just a way to get people excited? Sound off!