No summer is complete without the release of a Pixar film... and this week we are finally going to be treated to Finding Dory.
Finding Dory
Finding Dory is the fifth sequel from Pixar and will be the only movie from the studio to hit the big screen this year.
To celebrate the release of Finding Dory, which has already topped the box office in the U.S., we take a look at the Pixar sequels and how they have performed at the box office.
- Toy Story 3 - $1.063 billion
Toy Story 3 remains the most successful Pixar movie - let alone the most successful sequel. Hard to believe that this film is already six years old - yes, it really was released back in 2010.
The film was released ten years after the success of Toy Story 2 and saw Lee Unkrich back in the director's chair. Unkrich had co-directed previous Pixar movies, but this was to be his solo debut.
It is not often that films get better as the franchise goes along, but Toy Story is one of the few that truly bucks that trend. Toy Story 3 is truly is a timeless story with universal themes that we can all relate to about coming of age, moving out into the world and leaving childhood behind.
Toy Story 3 is a warm and very funny movie that is just as much for adults as it is for the kids, seriously parents will also fall in love with the characters and the story. We all remember that moment when we leave our childhood toys behind and I defy anyone to not get choked up when Andy does that very thing, which brings a very poignant end to this wonderful series of movies.
Toy Story 3 was a critical hit and a commercial smash upon release and was the first Pixar movie to gross over $1 billion at the global box office. It remains the most successful Pixar film to date, but could face some competition from Finding Dory.
The film went on to win the Best Animated Feature Oscar and Best Original Song for Randy Newman's We Belong Together.
- Finding Dory - $782.6 million
Finding Dory is released in the UK this week but has already raked in a pile of cash at the global box office.
The movie sees us meet characters such as Dory, Marlin, and Nemo for the second time and thirteen years after they were introduced to them for the first time in Finding Nemo.
This time around, it is Dory taking centre stage as she sets out on a quest to find her family and who she really is... finding out the real meaning of family along the way.
Ellen DeGeneres is back as Dory and reunites with Albert Brooks, who will once again be voicing the character of Marlin. Ed O'Neill, Diane Keaton, Eugene Levy, Idris Elba, and Dominic West are some of the big new additions to the cast list.
Finding Dory also sees Andrew Stanton back in the director's chair for his first Pixar film since the success of Wall-E back in 2008. It is great to see him back and I cannot wait to see what he delivers this time around.
Finding Dory has already grossed well over £721 million at the global box office and is the sixth highest-grossing film of the year. It is also the second highest-grossing animated film of the year, but still has some way to go to match the billion dollars taken by Zootropolis.
- Monsters University - $743.6 million
Monsters Inc. is my favourite Pixar film and, I have to admit, I was a little nervous when it was announced that a second movie was in the pipeline. However, the studio was do something even riskier... this was a prequel, not a sequel.
The movie came a decade after the success of the first and saw Dan Scanlon make his Pixar debut. As well as being in the director's chair, Scanlon teamed up with Daniel Gerson and Robert L. Baird to pen the film's screenplay.
It is a very brave thing to go backward and introduce us to new versions of characters that we have already fallen in love with - a risk that really did pay off. Mike and Sulley are as great a duo as ever, as they still make a fantastic comic team even if they are at each other's throats.
Monsters University is about dreams and ambitions, and how you may not always get what you had hoped for. It is also about the power of friendship - we see the seed of the Mike & Sulley partnership well and truly being sown.
The movie was another big hit for Pixar as it went on to gross over $743 million at the global box office. It was the seventh highest-grossing film of the year and the third highest-grossing animation film, behind Frozen and Despicable Me 2.
- Cars 2 - $559.9 million
Of all the Pixar movies, Cars is my least favourite and very surprised when it was announced that a sequel was in the pipeline.
Cars 2 was released five years after the first film and saw John Lasseter back in the director's chair; it was his first feature since the success of Cars back in 2006.
As well as being in the director's chair, Lasseter was behind the film's original story with Brad Lewis and Dan Fogelman, which was turned into a screenplay by Ben Queen.
The movie saw Owen Wilson return to voice the character of Lightning McQueen, while Larry the Cable Guy, Michael Caine, Emily Mortimer, Eddie Izzard, and John Turturro were also on board.
Cars 2 was the twelfth animated feature for the studio and was a box office hit, grossing $559.9 million worldwide - comfortably surpassing the success of its predecessor.
And a third Cars movie is in the pipeline and is due to be released next year. This time around, Brian Fee will be in the director's chair.
- Toy Story 2 - $485 million
Toy Story 2 was the first sequel for Pixar and was released back in 1999. It was the third feature for the studio and was released between A Bug's Life and Monsters Inc.
John Lasseter was at the helm once again and had already enjoyed success with Toy Story and A Bug's Life. The movie was co-directed by Lee Unkrich and Ash Brannon.
Amazingly, Toy Story 2 was originally set to be a straight to video film, before being upgraded to a full cinema release Disney. The story was reworked by Lasseter and co, and it was a huge hit for the studio.
Toy Story 2 was met with acclaim upon release and is widely regarded as one of the very few sequels that are better than the original. The studio continued to develop the CGI animation and the movie really is visually stunning.
We return to characters such as Woody and Buzz and this second movie further, develops these characters that we are already emotionally invested in. Tom Hanks and Tim Allen are fantastic as Woody and Buzz and give great voice performances.
There some great character development as well as a wonderful mix of action and humour - this is as much a movie for adults as it is for the kids.
Toy Story 2 was met with acclaim upon release and went on to gross $485 million at the global box office. It was the third highest-grossing film of the year, behind Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace and the Sixth Sense.
Finding Dory is released 29th July.
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