Pixar Chief Explains What They Want Out of Sequels

Pixar’s Chief Creative Officer talked about the way the studio approaches sequels. Pete Docter talked to Fandango about what qualities they’re looking for in new projects. The Pixar head explained that looking for audience approval can be difficult. So, when coming up with a new sequel, the main idea of a movie has to feel like something necessary to the world established in that first movie.In essence, like most good sequels, the new entry in a franchise has to push the concept forward in a way that’s unexpected or at least novel to draw audiences in. You can check out all of what Docter had to say about picking their spots right here down below.

“It’s a combo, because of course, we’re making these for the audience, not for ourselves, so you want to know if they’ll be well-received,” Docter explained. “Then, we do have a sort of guideline or guardrail that if we get a certain way in it’s not feeling like it’s about something new and substantive, then we’ll cut bait. So, it’s imperative that something feels like, ‘Oh, this is furthering the story!’”

He continued, “I was talking about something that we didn’t explore in the first one. Or, something deeper that we didn’t explore about the human condition or our own experiences in life.”

The Incredibles 3 Has Finally Been Announced

Pixar’s recent success with sequels makes the announcement of more a natural occurrence. This month’s D23 fan event saw Disney pull up the curtain on The Incredibles 3. Fans are excited to see this family back in action. But, no one knows what the plot of this film will be yet. During the same interview with Fandango, Docter tried to give a little information about how Brad Bird is approaching the next entry in the franchise. For that filmmaker, it’s always about some sort of big moment that he’s looking to drill down into. Expect the story to tug at your heart strings in a real way.

“Brad [Bird] is an amazing collaborator. He’s so fiery and passionate. Different people work different ways,” Docter shared. “He’s a guy who needs a little more time to build up the steam to get the passion and the power going. I think we’re at that point now. And we’re not sharing any details right now, because it’s still pretty malleable in terms of what the story is actually about.” 

“The great thing about Brad’s films, when you look at Ratatouille, on one level, it’s a fun romp about a rat that wants to cook,” Docter recalled. “But, really when you dig deeper, it’s about ‘What does it take to do that?’ The passion versus opportunity. He’s always got these deeper sociological ideas and so I think that’s where we’re starting from.”

What Pixar sequel would you like to see next? Catch all of our pop culture discussion at @ComicBook on social media!