Franchise filmmaking is the name of the game at all studios these days, which means that sequels are often more in demand than original ideas. When you’re Pixar, a studio that may only release one movie a year, even having several different sequels in development can mean getting nothing but sequels for years to come. Pixar has a lot of sequels compared it its total output. And after the staggering success of Inside Out 2, one has to wonder if Inside Out 3 isn’t too far away.
After a recent period where Pixar released several original films, it appears that Pixar is shifting back into a “franchise mode” where sequels will be the focus. Most of the upcoming Pixar movies we know of are sequels, and considering the success of Inside Out 2, it certainly seems that sequels are successful. Inside Out 2 director Kelsey Mann was asked by Empire about the possibility of Inside Out 3 and while he says nothing is currently planned, he’s also very honest that it is very much a possibility. Mann explained…
People are pretty open. They’re open to doing another film. They want to make sure that we do it justice. But people are excited for seeing Riley’s life — her whole life. They want to see Riley grow up. … We haven’t had any talks. Mainly because the movie came out, and I took a break. But there are so many great ideas that we weren’t able to get into this film, or the original. I really hope those ideas have a home one day.
It was nine years in between Inside Out movies so there was clearly no rush to get to work on a sequel, and the first movie was quite successful. Having said that, it wasn’t the highest-grossing animated movie ever, the way the sequel is, so it seems likely Pixar will be considering Inside Out 3 as a high-priority project.
If it happens, it will become the fourth Pixar franchise to become a trilogy. Toy Story and Cars have already reached that level and Incredibles 3 has already been confirmed to be in development. That’s certainly a lot of sequels. With Toy Story now set for a fifth film, half of the upcoming projects from Pixar are sequels. Of course, Mann says the actual future number of sequels is something different because he knows more than we do. He continued…
We’re always trying to find a balance. have to think about what you know about... Your number of originals and sequels is different than the number in my head! Because I know everything that we’re doing. But we’re always trying to find the right balance. … With everything — sequel or not — it’s all about making a great movie.
Whether the number in Kelsey Mann’s head means more or fewer Pixar sequels in the years to come, as long as they’re great, it’s unlikely anybody will be too upset. We still need original ideas now and then, even if they’re only to refresh the well of potential franchises. The next Pixar movie, Elio is an original idea, but if it’s successful, we can bet sequels will become a strong possibility.