Pixar has three major sequels in the works. A Wall Street Journal profile of Pixar Chief Creative Officer Pete Docter published Friday revealed that Monsters Inc. 3 is in early development, Incredibles 3 is targeting a 2028 release, and Coco 2 is aiming for 2029.
Disney has not officially confirmed the release dates or projects. The details come from a WSJ interview with Docter, who has led the studio since 2018.
What We Know About Each Film
Monsters Inc. 3 is in early development with no release date attached. The original Monsters Inc. (2001) and its prequel Monsters University (2013) have combined for over $1.3 billion at the global box office. The franchise has a significant presence in Disney parks, including Monsters, Inc. Mike & Sulley to the Rescue! at Disney California Adventure and Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor at Magic Kingdom.
Incredibles 3 was first announced at the D23 fan event in August 2024. Brad Bird is writing the screenplay and producing, with Elemental filmmaker Peter Sohn directing. The film is targeting 2028. Disney currently has March 10 and June 16, 2028 on hold in Comscore for Pixar releases, though it is unclear which date would be assigned to Incredibles 3. The franchise already has a presence at Disney California Adventure with Incredicoaster.
Coco 2 is targeting 2029. This is the first confirmation that a Coco sequel is in development. The original Coco (2017) grossed over $823 million worldwide and won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. The film’s cultural impact extends into the parks through seasonal Coco celebrations at Walt Disney World and Disneyland.
Pixar’s Broader Strategy
The sequel announcements come as Pixar celebrates the opening weekend of Hoppers, its latest original film, which is currently tracking around $40 million for its domestic opening. The WSJ profile describes a studio recalibrating after several original films underperformed at the box office.
In the interview, Docter acknowledged the challenge of balancing creative freedom with broad audience appeal. “I probably overindexed on, ‘Do whatever you want,'” Docter told the Wall Street Journal.
The profile also revealed two additional projects in development: the first Pixar original musical from Turning Red filmmaker Domee Shi, and Ono Ghost Market, a project inspired by Asian myths about supernatural bazaars that was originally conceived as a streaming series and is now being developed as a feature film.
Pixar’s upcoming slate already includes Toy Story 5 on June 19 and Elio later this year. The sequel strategy signals a plan to release roughly one sequel per year alongside original titles.
Shark Take
I think the park implications here are worth watching. All three of these franchises already have a footprint in Disney parks. Monsters Inc. has attractions on both coasts, the Incredibles have a coaster at DCA, and Coco has a growing presence during seasonal events at Disneyland and Walt Disney World. New films tend to drive new park investments, and three sequels to park-represented franchises releasing in consecutive years could mean significant overlay and expansion opportunities.
Source: Deadline, via Wall Street Journal
