Monsters Inc. 3 is in the Works, Incredibles 3 Set for 2028, and Coco 2 Slated for 2029
Pixar Animation Studios is celebrating a significant milestone as its latest release, Hoppers, is projected to achieve the best opening for an original animated title since 2017’s Coco, with a current forecast of $40 million in the U.S. and Canada this weekend.
Exciting developments are emerging from the studio in Emeryville, California. Among the upcoming projects is Monsters Inc. 3, which is currently under early development. Additionally, Domee Shi, known for Turning Red, is working on Pixar’s first-ever musical. The studio is also adapting the initially conceived streaming series Ono Ghost Market, inspired by Asian myths about supernatural bazaars, into a feature film. Other projects include a planned Incredibles 3 set for release in 2028 and a sequel to Coco in 2029. Though specifics are still pending, Disney has earmarked March 10 and June 16, 2028, for an as-yet-unnamed Pixar film.
These insights come from a recent profile in the Wall Street Journal featuring Pixar chief Pete Docter. He candidly acknowledges past missteps in creating universally appealing films following the tenure of John Lasseter. While Disney has not officially confirmed the projects or release dates mentioned in the article, it is typical for a studio like Pixar to be in early development on multiple franchises. Incredibles 3 was announced at the D23 fan convention in August 2024, with Brad Bird set to write and produce the screenplay and Peter Sohn directing. This marks the first mention of Coco 2, which previously grossed over $823 million worldwide. The original Monsters Inc. and its 2013 sequel, Monsters University, combined for a remarkable $1.3 billion at the global box office.
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In the WSJ profile, Docter reflects, “I probably overindexed on, ‘Do whatever you want.’”
The article further mentions that current and former employees attribute some of the studio’s challenges to Docter’s conflict-averse leadership style, which encouraged new directors to create autobiographical films that did not resonate with many viewers.
