I stood in a dark theater as the credits rolled and felt a small, private panic—would the next Pixar I loved be a safe sequel or something wild I hadn’t expected? You can feel the pressure now: fans want fresh sparks, Disney wants reliable hits, and the people running the studio are quietly recalibrating. I’ve followed the breadcrumbs; here’s what they reveal about where Pixar is pointing next.
After a bruising decade—some films routed straight to Disney+, others that failed to find an audience in theaters—Pixar found its footing again with Inside Out 2, which grossed $1.7 billion (€1.6 billion). The Wall Street Journal’s late-Friday piece laid out a studio rethinking its playbook: more broadly appealing movies, new voices, and some familiar brands being brought back into the spotlight. Pete Docter, Pixar’s chief creative officer, framed the mission bluntly: the studio needs to be “useful” to Disney. I read that as strategy, not apology.
At a concession stand, strangers argue about sequels before the lights go up
That argument matters more than box-office tallies. When families debate whether they’ll spend $15 each for a ticket, the decision reverberates across a studio’s slate. Pixar is a high-wire act: it must please core fans while delivering mass-audience returns that feed Disney’s wider content engine.
I watch this play out on social feeds and in reviews. Turning Red and Luca went straight to Disney+, while theatrical efforts like Lightyear and Elio underperformed. The risk for Pixar is not simply artistic—it’s financial and political inside Disney. That pressure explains why big sequels and crowd-pleasing originals now share the roadmap.
Is Pixar making Monsters Inc. 3?
Short answer: yes, the Wall Street Journal reports the studio is developing a third Monsters, Inc. film. The franchise re-entered public view via the Disney+ and Disney Channel series Monsters at Work, which ran for two seasons and wrapped in 2024. Sequels to tentpoles like Toy Story and The Incredibles are already in motion, so another Monsters fits the pattern—though it’s slated to arrive after Coco 2 in 2029, and likely won’t reach theaters until later in the decade.
On your phone, a Wall Street Journal alert lands with a headline and an uneasy thrill
The paper laid out several unannounced projects that feel deliberately mixed: franchise returns and new bets. For readers who want originals, there’s Ono Ghost Market, inspired by Asian myths about supernatural marketplaces where the living and dead mingle. That project began as a TV series before being elevated to feature length—a hint at Pixar reshaping ideas across formats.
The studio is also said to be developing its first musical, to be directed by Turning Red helmer Domee Shi, and a film called Gatto is already scheduled for March 2027. I like that Pixar is experimenting in form while keeping its big names on the board.
What is Ono Ghost Market?
Ono Ghost Market reportedly mines Asian folklore for a supernatural bazaar concept where the living and dead cross paths. The Journal says it was originally conceived as a TV series, then expanded into a feature—evidence that Pixar is shifting work between streaming and theatrical plans as ideas mature. The concept reads like a spice bazaar of moods and tones, offering sweet family moments and sharper cultural textures in the same shopfront.
In the living room, the finale of a Disney+ series leaves a void
Fans of the franchise noticed when Monsters at Work ended: the appetite for more stories in that world is real. Pixar knows how to convert that appetite into big-screen demand.
Monsters University arrived in 2013; the new movie would follow the franchise’s recent return to screens. The strategy is clear: ride nostalgia for established IP while spacing releases so each can be a larger event. If the studio staggers sequels—Gatto in 2027, Coco 2 in 2029, and then Monsters Inc. 3—Disney gets predictable tentpoles for years to come.
When will Pixar’s first musical arrive?
The Wall Street Journal ties the studio’s first musical to Domee Shi, but it hasn’t given a release date. Given the current timeline—Gatto in March 2027 and Coco 2 in 2029—expect the musical to arrive sometime after those milestones as Pixar staggers its major releases.
At a press junket, executives talk revenue and reach in the same breath
Those conversations shape what you see on screen. Inside Out 2’s $1.7 billion (€1.6 billion) haul reminded corporate bosses why broad appeal matters. Disney’s streaming ambitions on Disney+ and theatrical strategies are not separate lines; they’re the same business aiming for different returns.
So when Pete Docter speaks about being useful to Disney, I hear studio pragmatism. Originals like Ono Ghost Market let Pixar refresh its voice. Sequels and franchise films like Monsters Inc. 3 buy the studio leverage inside Disney’s release calendar.
Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.
I’ve tracked how Pixar pivots when the market tightens and how talent like Domee Shi moves from short-form to potential studio-firsts. You should care because these choices determine whether Pixar stays surprising or becomes dependable—and both outcomes reshape what we pay to see on opening weekend. Which outcome do you hope they choose?