Pixar’s next slate mixes big sequels with new originals — including Monsters, Inc. 3
Pixar has several major films in development
According to a recent profile with The Wall Street Journal, Pixar, the studio that defined many childhoods, is working on a third Monsters, Inc. movie, bringing the world of Mike Wazowski and Sulley back to the big screen more than two decades after the original film debuted. The 2001 hit, directed by Pixar’s current Chief Creative Officer Pete Docter, followed monsters who generate energy by scaring children and has gone on to become a classic, as well as spilling out into a franchise.
The story expanded with the 2013 prequel Monsters University and the Disney+ series Monsters at Work, which ran for two seasons. So far, however, there are no confirmed details about the new film’s plot, director, or whether voice stars Billy Crystal and John Goodman will return.
The Monsters project is part of a wider slate that shows Pixar leaning heavily on its most recognisable brands, like Toy Story its fifth installation set to arrive this summer.
Other familiar franchises are continuing too, with Incredibles 3 currently scheduled for 2028 and a sequel to Coco expected in 2029.
The renewed focus on sequels reflects a broader shift at Pixar. The studio that once prided itself on releasing mostly original films is now placing greater emphasis on projects that could evolve into long-running franchises. Pixar president Jim Morris summed up the reasoning bluntly, saying the strategy is designed to make sure the studio remains profitable enough “to persist”.
That doesn’t mean Pixar has abandoned original storytelling entirely. Several new projects are still in development, including Ono Ghost Market, a feature inspired by Asian myths about supernatural bazaars where the living and the dead interact. The studio is also reportedly working on its first-ever musical, being developed by Turning Red director Domee Shi.
Another upcoming original, Gatto, will follow a feline thief living in Venice and is experimenting with a different visual style, with characters designed to look as though they were painted by hand rather than digitally rendered.
The shift in strategy comes after a difficult run for Pixar’s original films in recent years. While Inside Out 2 became the studio’s biggest ever hit last year, grossing $1.7 billion worldwide, Pixar hasn’t had a major original breakout since Coco in 2017.
In the meantime, Pixar has just released Hoppers, a comedy about a girl who can “hop” her consciousness into a beaver and communicate with animals. The film has been receiving largely positive reviews and has opened strongly at the box office, bringing in $46 million in the US alone this past weekend.
For Pixar, the success of films like Hoppers could be crucial. The studio built its reputation on original ideas like Toy Story, Finding Nemo and Wall-E, many of which went on to become major Disney franchises spanning sequels, merchandise and theme park attractions.
With new sequels on the horizon and several ambitious originals still in development, Pixar is now trying to balance both approaches, bringing back familiar characters while searching for the next story that could define the studio’s future.
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