Pixar To Move Away From Autobiographical Tales Toward Movies With "Mass Appeal"

In 2023, Pixar's Elemental had the studio's worst debut in 28 years, raking in only $29.5 million at the opening. Just one year before, the spinoff Lightyear flopped with only $51 million. Similarly, autobiographical tales like Turning Red and Luca also fell short of expectations.

The stark contrast in box office performance becomes apparent when comparing the revenue of these recent releases to Pixar's iconic hits like Toy Story and Finding Nemo. Toy Story 3, for example, grossed over $1 billion worldwide, while Finding Nemo amassed nearly $940 million globally.

Thus, President Jim Morris announced a much-needed revamped plan following multiple flops: Pixar will now aim to release three films every two years, whereas the studio is used to releasing one each year. Their upcoming films will include a mix of original ideas (finally) and sequels, with iconic franchises like Cars and The Incredibles receiving renewed attention. I'm unsure if this will work out well, especially when everyone is experiencing remake fatigue.

Lindsey Collins is currently advising the development of movies set to release in 2027 and beyond. When she spoke to her son, Cash, about a sequel, he said what we're all thinking: No more cash grabs, please. “The other day, I was like, ‘What if I told you we were making an Incredibles 3?’ ” Collins said. “And he was like, ‘Money grab.’ And I was like, ‘F***.’ Sequels are a double-edged sword, because the audience can be brutal and so quick to judge. Unless they’re worthy.”

Pixar will focus more on films with "clear mass appeal." A key aspect of this shift is Pixar's move away from autobiographical storytelling. Another poor move on Pixar's part, as the autobiographical tales were refreshing and well-received, but the exclusive release on a subscription platform may have cost them a lucrative win. Perhaps they are aware of this, hence why Pixar will emphasize theatrical releases over Disney+ projects, with the highly-anticipated Inside Out 2 kicking off this resurgence.

Pete Docter, the director of hits Monsters, Inc., Up, and Inside Out and chief creative officer, admits it's harder to please the audience. “The world is more crowded. There’s just so much out there, and it’s harder and harder to surprise people,” Docter said. “That means we have to work harder.” It's evident that Disney's greed prompted them to adopt Netflix's business model, turning Soul, Luca, and Turning Red into a subscription service. Docter says the move “felt a little like a death."

Will Pixar be able to turn things around and be as successful as they once were? If they're just going to give us sequel after sequel, I doubt it.

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