Summary
During the decades it has spent as one of the most successful animation studios in Hollywood,Pixarhas had several movies cross the billion-dollar mark at the box office. Pixar was once the brilliant and lucky underdog team that pulled off the first 3D-animated feature-length movie with the release ofToy Storyin 1995, an event that would transform the animation industry.Since then, Pixar has produced many more smash-hit family movies based on fun conceptualizationsand profoundly real stories, which often move people to tears.
Pixar regularly receives glowing reviews and Academy Awards for Best Animated Feature;with this has come considerable profits. Some clear trends determine which Pixar movies gross $1 billion: Even though the first 10 years or so is the decided Golden Age for the studio, none of these movies made that much, showing how inflation certainly plays a role. Additionally, all the Pixar movies that grossed $1 billion are sequels, demonstrating how the hype surrounding the follow-up to a beloved movie is a built-in advertising strategy.
Metacritic score
Domestic gross
Worldwide total
98%
92%
$415,004,880
$1,067,316,101
94%
77%
$486,295,561
$1,029,266,989
93%
80%
$608,581,744
$1,243,225,667
97%
84%
$434,038,008
$1,073,841,394
Inside Out 2(As of July 2024)
90%
73%
$469,426,251
$1,019,043,017
All box office information included in this list is according toboxofficemojo.com.
All 9 Pixar Movie Sequels, Ranked Worst To Best
Pixar has successfully built an animation empire with incredible stories, building on some of the most popular franchises with compelling sequels.
Toy Story 3
Cast
Toy Story 3 continues the beloved animated series, reuniting Woody, Buzz, and the gang as they face new challenges when they are mistakenly sent to a daycare center. With Andy headed to college, the toys must collaborate to navigate the perils of their new environment and find their way back.
The first Pixar movie to gross $1 billion was the (then expected to be) finale of its flagship franchise. A complete trilogy is a tidy way to wrap things up. Additionally, when the advertising confirmed that the story would revolve around what happens when Andy is grown up, it seemed like a natural conclusion to the tales of their life in Andy’s room.The ephemeral nature of childhood is the core of theToy Storyfranchise,and the toys had previously hinted that Andy growing out of them was a fear lingering in the back of their minds.
Toy Story 3 maintained the franchise’s critical acclaim and went above and beyond with its nomination for Best Picture at the Oscars.
Everything was headed towards an emotional and satisfying ending. However, even the extremely minimal teaser trailers that revealed nothing about the plot fueled the hype ofToy Story 3.Toy StoryandToy Story 2are still among thebest Pixar movies, and the sequel promised to be just as good. While the first two installments came out within a few years of each other,there was a decade-long wait forToy Story 3.The only way to derail its surefire success was for it to be astoundingly bad — which isn’t characteristic of Pixar, let aloneToy Storyspecifically.
Toy Story 3maintained the franchise’s critical acclaimand went above and beyond with its nomination for Best Picture at the Oscars. It was extremely marketable when families would go see it together and adults would go see it out of nostalgia or curiosity as to how it would all end. Summer blockbuster season combined with some additional profits from theaters that chose to screenToy Story 3again for awards season was very lucrative for Pixar, making this the seemingly perfect way to end Woody and the rest’s story.
Finding Dory
The sequel to Pixar’s Finding Nemo, Finding Dory focuses on the character of Dory (Ellen DeGeneres) as she sets off to locate her parents. Still living with amnesia after the events of Finding Nemo, Dory is unable to remember her parents, but an unexpected flashback prompts her to find them. Her journey takes her not only across the ocean but also out of it, enlisting all manner of marine life to help her in her quest.
Finding Doryis not as good as most of the other $1 billion Pixar moviesand an average sequel overall, probably seeing the worst reception of Pixar’s five highest-grossing movies. The movie is undermined by a strange clash, with Dory being a beloved character who deserves to have a fully developed backstory vs. her working better as the mascot-like sidekick to Marlin’s journey inFinding Nemo. People may never have wondered much about Dory’s past despite her being set up to naturally invite questions, especially when a sad comment inFinding Nemohints that she has forgotten her family.
Finding Doryis a strange mix of heartfelt moments with Dory’s parents — and her bringing her birth family and chosen family together — that land well up against the awkwardly-planned adventure through the aquarium. Sadly, the jokes just aren’t as funny as all of Dory’s iconic lines in the first installment. Despite this, the movie got generally good reviews and hit the billion-dollar mark, the first time for Pixar sinceToy Story 3five years earlier.Finding Dory’sfinancial success is at least partially due to the hype coming from being a very long-awaited sequelto one of Pixar’s best classic movies.
The Incredibles 2
The sequel to Pixar’s The Incredibles, Incredibles 2 follows the Parr family as they continue to fight crime as Supers. In a world that has only recently rediscovered its need for superpowered heroes, building trust is key. However, when Elastigirl uncovers a villainous plot to discredit the Super community, the family investigates, putting the Parrs in more danger than ever before.
Incredibles 2also benefited from being a sequel to a near-perfect Pixar movie that had been left untouched for more than a decade, to the point where most never would have thought it was getting a sequel. It also didn’t quite live up to the original, although in this case, more people were probably expecting it.The Incredibleshas an inherently flashy, marketable, and fun concept that promises what happens on-screen will at least be entertaining.Incredibles 2also advertised the greater focus on Holly Hunter’s Helen Parr/Elastigirlto demonstrate that the story would be fresh.
Incredibles 2’sstory about the family dynamic isn’t as impactful, while the first movie showcases a heartrending narrative about the discontent that strained the main characters' marriage. In comparison,the emotional subplot ofIncredibles 2is wrapped up as quickly as the action-oriented main plot,with the characters all finding personal fulfillment without nearly as much painful drama happening first. The sequel’s villain, the none-too-subtly named Evelyn Deavor, cannot compare to the charisma of Syndrome. This was admittedly always futile when Syndrome isPixar’s best villain.
However, the event ofIncredibles 2’srelease and it still being a good movie carried it to the top of the box office.The convenient Father’s Day release madeIncredibles 2the perfect family outing,while adult fans came out in droves to see the return of some of the best characters from their childhood. The fantastic supporting cast returned as well as the main cast, including Samuel L. Jackson as Lucius Best/Frozone and director Brad Bird as Edna Mode. The whole thing was too much pure enjoyment to not make $1 billion.
Toy Story 4
Toy Story 4 is part of Pixar’s animated franchise, where Woody, voiced by Tom Hanks, embarks on a road trip with old and new friends. As Bonnie introduces Forky, an unconventional toy, Woody navigates the challenges of his evolving role while exploring the wider world beyond Andy and Bonnie.
There was another long wait betweenToy Story 3andToy Story 4, but the second time did not seem so strange when it had happened before. On the other hand,whileToy Story 3seemed like the natural end to the franchise, the fact thatToy Story 4was happening at all raised eyebrowsand piqued fans' interest. The announcement ofToy Story 5has had the same effect. However, it was not as though there had ever been a badToy Storymovie, and most longtime fans were sure to turn up for the new installment just to see what happens.
In addition to this,Toy Story 4marketed its new talent well,with several big names joining the established cast of A-listers who had always voiced the franchise’s anthropomorphic toys. This included Keanu Reeves as a biker action figure, utilizing the new wave of fame he was riding thanks to theJohn Wickfranchise. They also struck gold when they secured the famed comedic team of Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele to voice the on-screen stuffed animal duo Ducky and Bunny. These two constitute some of the movie’s funniest moments and will hopefully return.
Toy Story 4has a feeling of deep nostalgia,showcasing how far the animation and character designs have come since the beginning, with a larger retinue of toy characters than ever. The glowing lights of the carnival setting, the emotional goodbyes, and the toys themselves looking back on everything they have been through inherently attracted people who are primarily invested inToy Storybecause of the childhood memories it invokes.Toy Story 4’sbox office success was both a complete surprise and extremely predictable, begging the question of how infallible the franchise truly is.
Pixar Movies In Chronological Order (Based On The Pixar Theory)
According to a popular theory, all Pixar movies take place in the same universe. Here’s when each movie is set chronologically, including Turning Red.
Inside Out 2
Inside Out 2 is the sequel to the 2015 original film, which starred a young girl named Riley with a head full of emotions. - literally. With Amy Pohler as Joy, Bill Hader as fear, Mindy Kaling as Disgust, Phyllis Smith as Sadness, and Lewis Black as Anger, the all-star cast brought to life the emotions that adolescents face as they grow, change, and adapt to new situations. This sequel, currently in development, will bring Amy Pohler back as Joy, with Riley, now a teenager.
Inside Outwas a stranger addition to Pixar’s repertoire, not that this hindered it in the least. The first movie was plenty successful, winning Best Animated Feature that year. The premise demands that the audience accept that it doesn’t make complete sense for the sake of enjoying the quirky characters and settings and the overall themes coming across.Inside Outprimarily revolves around the message that it is necessary for humans to feel sadnessas much as any other emotion.
Inside Out 2is succeeding for a similar reason: Despite the even shakier literal plot, the surreal characters are an effective tool to convey relatable emotional experiences. The cast is still solid, with Maya Hawke as Anxiety, the new emotion that Amy Poehler’s Joy has to come to terms with for Riley’s sake.Inside Out 2’ssuccess is still a huge and reassuring surprisein the wake ofFuriousa: A Mad Max Saga’sbox office bomb. It has been speculated thatFuriosafailed due to an increased preference for watching movies at home, something Pixar also must contend with.
It is very likely that more Pixar sequels will happen eventually.
Inside Out 2also has the advantage of a more widespread appeal,as most people are not going to take small children to seeFuriosa. It is proving to be another milestone success for Pixar that will likely receive plenty of attention when awards season comes around. Like Pixar’s other billion-dollar movies, it also reaps the rewards of being a sequel, letting box offices know to prepare forToy Story 5and other movies like it. It is very likely that more Pixar sequels will happen eventually.
