Pixar is moving forward on its fourth threequel, as the studio prepares to expand another of its legacy franchises. The Disney studio has been responsible for some of the most iconic animated tales of all time, and many of them have become staples of the Pixar brand in marketing, merchandise, and theme parks. However, Pixar has always valued a mix of sequels and original ideas, meaning very few of its IPs have made it all the way into a trilogy.
Another franchise is about to pass this milestone following the news that Pixar is working on another movie in the Monsters, Inc. franchise. The news of another Monsters, Inc. movie was reported in a Wall Street Journal profile of Pixar, which said it is "developing a third Monsters, Inc., according to people familiar with the matter." A third Monsters, Inc. movie is part of a new strategy at Pixar that sees almost two sequels released for every original (a reversal of the studio's previous aim), which Pixar president Jim Morris said was to ensure "that we’re profitable enough, frankly, to persist.”
Monsters, Inc. was Pixar's third-ever original release in 2001 (following Toy Story 1 & 2 and A Bug's Life). It introduced the secret lives of monsters who lived on the energy generated by children's screams. A prequel to Monsters, Inc., titled Monsters University, exploring Mike and Sully's time at school, was released in 2013. This was followed by Monsters at Work in 2021, a Disney Television streaming series that served as a sequel to Monsters, Inc., focusing on new characters.
It is unclear where in the timeline Monsters, Inc. 3 would be situated and whether it would feature the same characters. Mike and Sully, voiced by Billy Crystal and John Goodman, have become icons of the Pixar brand, and both Monsters, Inc. feature films earned over half a billion dollars at the box office. Of all the IP under Pixar's belt, Monsters, Inc. seems like a safe bet to continue to invest in, but it's not the first of the studio's franchises to make it to three films.
Pixar's Threequels So Far
Toy Story
Pixar's first and longest-running franchise is still releasing new movies, even today. After the first two films released within four years of each other, Toy Story sequels have taken lengthy breaks between the tellings of Buzz and Woody's stories.
In 2010, a decade after Toy Story 2, Pixar released Toy Story 3, which sealed Andy's chapter with the toys. It seemed like that might be the end of the franchise, until, 9 years later, Toy Story 4 arrived, seemingly ending Woody's time with his friends. This wasn't to be, however, as Toy Story blew past all existing Pixar records to become a five-film franchise, with Toy Story 5 releasing this summer and heralding the return of Woody, along with a new sinister villain, Lilypad.
Toy Story has proven itself as a franchise that continues to persevere, no matter how much time passes. It always finds new angles on humans' relationships with their toys, suggesting even Toy Story 5 may not be the end of the toys' stories.
Cars
The next of Pixar's threequels quickly received trilogy status. Cars introduced a world of anthropomorphic vehicles, starring Owen Wilson as the voice of racing hero, Lightning McQueen. After the initial film was released in 2006, Pixar released Cars 2 in 2011, which became one of the studio's lesser-loved films, followed by Cars 3 in 2017. The IP also spawned a spin-off franchise, Planes, which was developed by DisneyToon Studios.
With Cars 3 earning the least of the three movies (unlike Toy Story, which increased its box office profits with each new release), it seemed like the Cars franchise might be put to bed (on film) for now.
Incredibles
The first The Incredibles film was released slightly prior to Cars in 2004. Before the superhero genre exploded with the DCU and MCU, The Incredibles was the superhero blockbuster for so many. It introduced an original family of superheroes who were attempting to balance their normal lives with their super ones, eventually coming together as a family of supers.
After 14 years and many years of fan requests, Pixar finally released Incredibles 2 in 2018, picking up right where the first movie left off. The reaction was undeniable, with Incredibles 2 earning over $1 billion at the box office and becoming Pixar's highest-grossing film (up until 2024's Inside Out 2). With those kinds of numbers, a threequel seemed inevitable, and in 2024 at D23, Incredibles 3 was officially announced.
Incredibles 3 still doesn't have a release date (although some marketing has begun), but is expected around 2028 (ten years after the second film). It will also feature a new director, Peter Sohn (Elemental), with the original director, Brad Bird, remaining on board as a producer.
