Is Pixar Running Out of Ideas?

Earlier today, Disney and Pixar officially announced the sequel to 2003's Finding Nemo, complete with an official title, logo, and release window.  Finding Dory is set to be released on November 25, 2015 (it's worth noting that this will be the first Holiday Season release for Pixar since The Incredibles in 2005).  While the  full cast has yet to be announced, you can rest easy knowing that Ellen DeGeneres will be returning as the title character along with the original director, Andrew Stanton.  While I'm hopeful for this movie, it makes me nervous for the future of Pixar, as they seem to be coming out with more and more sequels as opposed to original stories that made Pixar such a powerhouse in the first place.

Finding Dory could prove to be a success, but what does the announcement say about Pixar's future?

Pixar is no stranger to sequels, with three Toy Story films, two Cars films, and now two Monsters Inc. films under their belt.  But while Toy Story and Monsters Inc. had justification for sequels and prequels, Cars and  Finding Nemo don't.  The original films didn't leave openings for sequels, but Cars made a ton of money through merchandise tie-ins so a sequel to that was inevitable.  In addition to this, there are rumors of a fourth Toy Story film, but neither Disney or Pixar have said anything about it.  All of this makes me wonder if Pixar is finding themselves having to rely on older properties for upcoming projects.

Another reason for concern is the mixed reception their recent films have received.  Cars 2 received a mostly negative reception, netting Pixar their first "Rotten" rating on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes (38%, which is pretty bad considering almost all of Pixar's previous movies scored in the mid-to high 90's).  Brave, on the other hand, showed a 78% rating along with Rotten Tomatoes' "Certified Fresh" title.  Much better than Cars 2, but still not up to Pixar's previous standards.  As it turns out, that's exactly what most people thought of the film itself (myself included).  Monsters University is going to have to be as well-received as Pixar's classics in order to alleviate people's worries about the studio's future.  After seeing the trailer, I'm not entirely sure that's going to happen, at least not for me anyway.  For now, time will tell if Pixar can recapture the magic that captivated us time and time again.