Disney+ has provided a new avenue for many of the Mouse House’s most iconic brands to expand their stories and deliver more content than was previously possible. Whether it be Star Wars, the Marvel Cinematic Universe, or any other major brand, creating a new series for Disney+ can be an exciting new opportunity for story and character development. Pixar Animation has also jumped aboard the Disney+ train, as they have already developed a couple of original shows and short films for the streaming service.
The first full series that Pixar produced for Disney+ was Monsters at Work, which is a series that acts as a sequel to the original Monsters Inc. It follows Sully, Mike and a slew of new characters as Monsters Incorporated makes the transition from scare power to laugh power. The series was a fun follow-up to one of Pixar’s most beloved films, and it will be continuing with a second season set for release next year. There’s also Cars on the Road, which is a new installment in Pixar’s Cars franchise that will have its Disney+ debut on September 8.
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Through these two shows, Pixar has shown their willingness to take the worlds they’ve built and continue their stories through Disney+ series rather than in traditional sequel films. Considering Pixar has been releasing feature films for nearly three decades, they have plenty of movies that would be excellent candidates for a continuation on Disney+. Here are seven options that could make for great shows:
Ratatouille
Buena Vista Pictures Distribution
Ratatouille is a Pixar classic that only becomes more beloved with every passing year. The film tells the story of a rat named Remy, voiced by Patton Oswalt, who secretly becomes a chef at a restaurant in Paris with the help of a man named Linguini. It’s a wholesome and fun story about pursuing your passions and not letting the world stop you from doing what you love. The film is packed with so many wonderful moments and ideas, and it’s a shame that Pixar hasn’t revisited the story more, beyond one short film, Your Friend the Rat.
The end of the movie establishes that Remy, Linguini and Colette have opened a new restaurant named La Ratatouille, which serves both people and rats alike. A follow-up series on Disney+ could explore the various trials and tribulations of such a restaurant. There’s certainly an audience for cooking shows out there, and a Ratatouille series could be Disney’s way of tapping into that genre.
Brave
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Pixar’s 2012 fantasy film Brave really seems to exist in its own space. It’s a story that has more in line with the princess tales that are often produced by Disney Animation. Because of that, it’s easy to forget that Brave even is a Pixar film in the first place. It’s a movie that is often completely ignored when talking about Pixar’s filmography, which is a shame because the movie is packed with provides plenty of excitement, entertainment, and emotion for viewers of all ages.
Continuing Brave through a Disney+ series would give the film a second life. It would reestablish Merida and the film’s fantastical interpretation of 10th century Scotland, inviting audiences to return to the story and give it another try. It would be interesting to see what kind of ruler Merida grew up to be and what adventures she went on with her three younger brothers. Brave only scratches the surface of what can be done with animated fantasy stories, and if it continued it could weave in more legendary elements, the show could become more akin to the tales of King Arthur.
WALL·E
WALL·E deserves to be considered one of Pixar’s best films. It’s a moving love story that also intertwines a plethora of science-fiction adventures and themes of responsibility and environmentalism. The film explores both the Earth and Space in a way that is full of wonder, but it also isn’t afraid to touch on some more serious topics such as consumerism and corporate greed.
The end of the film sees humanity returning to Earth alongside WALL·E and EVE, which leaves plenty of room for the story to continue. A new WALL·E series could detail the clean-up efforts that were underway after the events of the film, while also continuing to explore the relationship between the two central robots. It’s also hard to believe that WALL·E was the only robot left on the Earth, so it could be interesting to explore what other robots and life were still left on Earth and how they adjusted to humanity’s return to the planet.
Luca
Luca is on this list because there is still so much that can be explored within that world. The film establishes the community of sea monsters living off the coast of Italy, and by the end of the story, it is shown that there are many of them living amongst the humans in the small town of Portorosso. A Luca series could explore how the people of these two worlds have adjusted to living together. With each other’s cooperation, the two communities could build a thriving fishing town with a unique mix of above and under sea elements. The short film Ciao Alberto already shows how Alberto and Massimo have been working together, and a new series could build on that idea with the whole town.
The real potential in a Luca series lies beyond the town of Portorosso. The film already sets up how Luca’s uncle lives in the deep sea, so the world of sea monsters expands far beyond the small community shown in the movie. There’s likely an entire underwater civilization that went completely unexplored in Luca, and a new series could really dive into what the overall sea monster society is like.
A Bug’s Life
A Bug’s Life doesn’t get the love it deserves. As the second film Pixar released, it was forced to follow Toy Story, which is a nearly impossible standard to meet. While the film is certainly no Toy Story, it is still a fun and exciting Pixar adventure that deserves to live alongside Pixar’s best. A Bug’s Life is the only film out of Pixar’s first seven features to not get a sequel. In the 25 years since its release, the movie has been largely forgotten and overshadowed by the myriad of excellent films Pixar has made. It’s similar to Brave in that manner.
By revisiting the world of A Bug’s Life, Pixar would be giving the film a whole new life and introducing it to a new generation of people who didn’t grow up watching it. One of the things that A Bug’s Life does best is establishing the world its characters inhabit. There’s not just the entire ant colony, but a much larger civilization of insects that are living their own lives. A Bug’s Life Disney+ series could explore entirely new corners of that society.
The Incredibles
It’s honestly surprising that there hasn’t been an Incredibles television series yet, as this franchise is one of Pixar’s most popular and it is a prime candidate for a Disney+ continuation. The streamer already has a slew of superhero content and original series available, thanks to the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s embracing of the platform, so an Incredibles Disney+ show would be right at home on the service. The first Incredibles film is one of Pixar’s most beloved, and its 2018 sequel is the studio’s highest-grossing movie of all time. There’s clearly an audience that wants to see more of the Parr family.
If Pixar were to continue the adventures of The Incredibles on Disney+, they would be able to show how the superhero family balances their personal lives and their heroic ones now that being a superhero is legal again following the events of The Incredibles 2. The show could continue the in-school antics of both Violet and Dash, and show how Jack-Jack’s powers change as he grows older. Bob and Helen also have plenty of story left to explore, as they now are leading the re-emergence of superheroes in the world. Perhaps they could put together a team and Pixar could have their own creative spoof on The Avengers.
Toy Story
While a straight Toy Story series would be fun, there has already been so much Toy Story content over the years that continuing it directly could risk diluting the brand. However, the spin-off idea that was recently explored in Lightyear provides a potential new direction for the franchise. Just as Buzz Lightyear had the movies and video games that inspired the toy, Woody and Jesse came from the old television series Woody’s Roundup. The series was shown briefly in Toy Story 2, and bringing that show to life on Disney+ would be a home run for Pixar and the service.
There are a lot of potential paths that could be taken with a Woody’s Roundup show on Disney+. In Toy Story 2 it is established that the old show used the toys as puppets, so the new show could animate them in that same style. A better idea might be to pitch the show as a revival of Woody’s Roundup, which would allow for a completely new animated style more in line with Pixar’s usual approach. Tom Hanks could return to voice Woody, but if Pixar wants to stay in the same lane as Lightyear they would likely find a newer star to take over the vocal duties. The new actor would need to be able to have the same wholesome and confident demeanor as Hanks, though. A few potential candidates could be Zachary Levi, Jason Sudeikis, and John Krasinski.
Regardless of who voices Woody in the show, a Woody’s Roundup Disney+ series would certainly garner a lot of attention and make for a fun way to continue the Toy Story brand without having to make another central Toy Story film. The third and fourth films in that series already did such a good job wrapping everything up, and it would feel a bit odd to revisit the toys at this point. But, the underperformance of Lightyear aside, a Woody’s Roundup series would be a surefire hit.
