Pixar’s Pete Docter explains why there will always be movie footage

Pixar is responsible for some of the greatest animated films of our time …then some of them were turned into franchises. For a while, it seemed like the studio cared more about rehearsing past successes than to create new ones. But it looks like Pixar’s latest the head of the studio is ready to take on the brass, even if the existence of ongoing suites is inevitable.

Pixar’s Pete Docter, who has directed films like Monsters Inc. and Upside down, recently sat down with the Hollywood Reporter for a long discussion on his tenure as Content Manager. The veteran host took the job in June 2018, after John Lasseter has resigned amid allegations of sexual misconduct. Since then, Docter’s has seen the release of what appears to be his last stint as co-director, Soul, as well as several new projects like Luca, Turning red, and one Toy story quasi-prequel on the real Buzz Lightyear. The latter raised red flags, that we could see a repeat of the Disney Pixar sequel – one that saw more than half of its releases between 2010 and 2020 dominated by prequels and sequels like Finding Dory and Monster college.

Docter noted that the three upcoming films, including Light year, were approved before his mandate. Additionally, he admitted that Pixar got a little carried away with sequels for a time and promised that its next greenlit movie list (which has yet to be announced) will prioritize original stories and diverse new voices behind the scenes.

VSBasically, he also noted that this doesn’t mean Pixar’s sequels are going away. After all, they make a lot of money and provide stability even a studio as large as Pixar needs to experiment with new stories and new worlds. “In the past we’ve had a series of sequels, too many sequels,” he said. “Now we have a lot of original things, which I am personally passionate about. But for financial security, we should probably have a few more sequels in there. Sometimes it’s hard because creative projects have a life of their own, and they either take off or not. “

One of the places we’ll continue to see sequels and spinoffs is on Disney +, like Pixar is busy working on derivative TV shows for Monsters Inc., Cars, and To the top. The company is also doing original projects for the streaming platform, including a long-running animated show called Win or lose, on a college softball team, as well as a collection of mini-shorts called Pixar Popcorn, which comes out this month. In fact, Docter said Pixar is producing “as much for streaming as we are in theaters.”

To find out more, you can read the in-depth interview with THR here. Soul, which Docter co-directed with Kemp Powers, is now available on Disney +.

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