Pixar’s CCO, Pete Docter, recently spoke with Fandango about the possibility of a third Inside Out movie. Likewise, Disney Animation creative head Jennifer Lee discussed the twin productions of Frozen III and Frozen IV. Docter previously directed Monsters, Inc., Up, Inside Out, and Soul. Lee co-directed both Frozen movies and co-wrote Wreck-It Ralph. You can see the interviews here:
And here are some excerpts:
Docter, on ideas for Inside Out 3: “We’re just like, ‘Okay, well, if we were going to do something, what would it be?’ and we’re kind of just thinking of ideas. Who knows.”
Jennifer Lee regarding the concurrent work on Frozen III and Frozen IV: “We’re aiming for November of ’27 for Frozen III. We are doing Frozen IV at the same time. I’ve never done that before. So, we’re working in a room where one half is Frozen III, the other half is Frozen IV, and we’re standing in the middle, going back and forth.”
Both interviews contain other tidbits about the upcoming slates at both studios. In particular, I was interested in the process behind selecting sequels to make at Pixar and the (lack of) insight Docter provides on Incredibles 3. We don’t know which cast members are returning, what the film will be about, or if it will be a bastardization of the original, like Incredibles 2 was.
Personally, I don’t care what brought Inside Out 3 about; I didn’t want the second one, and it wasn’t very good. It was a rehash of the first movie with some new things added in, but nothing I really feel the first one was missing. As such, I don’t understand the impetus for another film beyond money, of course. The way they talk about wanting certain sequels is interesting; namely, I like to hear that they actually reject some because the ideas aren’t working. But the fact that they are making so many almost nullifies this point, and some that they have made don’t “work” anyway. I wish Pixar would go back to pursuing great stories and characters, and only making a sequel to one of their films if the idea for it comes up organically. Why force out all these Toy Stories and Inside Out expansions? I really, truly want to believe what he says about Brad Bird being ready to do another Incredibles and having a great idea of what societal issues to tackle in it. However, there were some good ideas in Incredibles 2, but it was just not a good story and definitely lacked good character work. And Docter remarks that Bird doesn’t already have a plot for Incrdedibles 3 in mind. That is not a good sign. I’m going to be in active dread regarding this movie until I see it, although I really hope it’s good. I hope it’s nothing like Incredibles 2.
I’m much more hopeful about Frozen III and Frozen IV than I am Incredibles 3. I liked Frozen II more than the first one, which is much the opposite of the way I feel about the Incredibles movies, although I don’t like Frozen II – or anything else, for that matter – as much as the first Incredibles. Anyway, I think making these movies simultaneously is an interesting idea; that’s how they did Lord of the Rings, and that worked out very well. It may not seem an apt comparison, but the Frozen movies also follow several characters on various quests of self-improvement and deeds of heroism.
But what do you make of Pete Docter’s comments about Pixar and Inside Out 3, Jennifer Lee’s update on the Frozen sequels, or anything else related to Pixar? Let us know in the comments!