Pixar is quietly assembling a new wave of sequels built around some of its most beloved animated franchises. Industry reports indicate that a third installment in the world of Monsters, Inc. is now in early development, while two other major follow-ups — Incredibles 3 and Coco 2 — are expected to arrive later in the decade. The plans suggest that Pixar and parent company The Walt Disney Company are increasingly leaning on proven franchises as the studio charts its theatrical future.
The potential return to the Monsters, Inc. universe would mark the first major cinematic continuation of the franchise in more than a decade. The original Monsters, Inc., released in 2001, introduced audiences to the city of Monstropolis and the unlikely friendship between James P. “Sulley” Sullivan and Mike Wazowski. The film became one of Pixar’s early box-office successes, grossing more than $528 million worldwide and earning strong critical acclaim. The studio revisited the world in 2013 with the prequel Monsters University, which explored the college years of Sulley and Mike and went on to earn more than $740 million globally. Details about the story or creative team for a third film remain unclear, and the project is still described as being in the earliest stages of development.
At the same time, Pixar is already preparing the next chapter of one of its most commercially successful franchises. Incredibles 3 is expected to arrive in theaters around 2028, continuing the adventures of the Parr family of superheroes. The original The Incredibles, written and directed by Brad Bird, won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature and became a defining title of the studio’s mid-2000s era. When the sequel Incredibles 2 arrived in 2018 after a long gap, it proved to be a massive global hit, earning more than $1.24 billion worldwide and becoming one of Pixar’s highest-grossing films. For the third installment, Bird is expected to remain closely involved as writer and producer, while director Peter Sohn is set to oversee the project.
Another major follow-up already on Pixar’s long-term roadmap is Coco 2, which is currently targeting a release in 2029. The sequel will reunite much of the original creative team behind Coco, including directors Lee Unkrich and Adrian Molina. The first film followed young Miguel on a journey into the Land of the Dead as he uncovered hidden truths about his family and discovered the power of music and memory. Coco became both a critical and commercial success, earning more than $800 million worldwide and winning two Academy Awards, including Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song for “Remember Me.” While plot details for the sequel have not been revealed, the return of the original filmmakers suggests that Pixar intends to preserve the emotional and cultural themes that made the film resonate with audiences around the world.
Together, the three projects highlight Pixar’s evolving strategy as the animation landscape changes. Over the past several years, the studio has continued to release original stories while also expanding its most popular worlds. Films tied to established characters often provide a level of box-office certainty that entirely new properties cannot always guarantee, especially as production budgets for large-scale animated features continue to rise.
Recent successes across the animation industry have reinforced that reality. Sequels and franchise titles frequently dominate global box office charts, and Pixar itself experienced renewed commercial momentum when returning to familiar characters in projects connected to its existing catalogue. By developing additional installments of Monsters, Inc., The Incredibles, and Coco, the studio is strengthening a lineup that blends nostalgia with long-term storytelling opportunities.
At the same time, Pixar has emphasized that original films remain a crucial part of its creative identity. Upcoming projects such as Hoppers and Gatto represent the studio’s continued commitment to introducing new characters and worlds even as it revisits established franchises. The company’s approach increasingly appears to balance both ambitions — creating fresh stories while expanding the universes that audiences already love.
If the current roadmap holds, Pixar’s theatrical slate for the latter part of the decade could feature a mix of originals and major franchise entries, with Incredibles 3 expected in 2028 and Coco 2 following a year later. The timeline for a third Monsters, Inc. film has not yet been determined, but its development suggests that Pixar may soon return to one of the studio’s earliest and most iconic animated worlds.
For a company that helped define modern animated storytelling, the strategy reflects a careful blend of past and future — building new chapters in familiar universes while continuing to search for the next generation of Pixar classics.
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