Pixar To Release Monsters Inc Sequel And Brave In 2012
Disney has announced that Pixar will in fact make a Monsters Inc 2, and we can expect that sequel in theaters on November 16th 2012. The original film was released on November 2nd 2001. Disney has also made it official that The Bear and The Bow has been retitled "Brave". That film also has a new summer 2012 release date.
The Bear and the Bow is Pixar's first fairy tale, from acclaimed filmmaker/writer Brenda Chapman (The Prince of Egypt). Chapman began as an additional animation artist on Who Framed Roger Rabbit and contributed story for The Little Mermaid, The Rescuers Down Under, Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Fantasia 2000, Chicken Run and Cars.
A rugged and mythic Scotland is the setting for Pixar's action-adventure "The Bear and the Bow." The movie is being touted as Pixar's first fairy tale. The film stars Reese Witherspoon as the "impetuous, tangle-haired Merida, though a daughter of royalty, would prefer to make her mark as a great archer. A clash of wills with her mother compels Merida to make a reckless choice, which unleashes unintended peril on her father's kingdom and her mother's life. Merida struggles with the unpredictable forces of nature, magic and a dark, ancient curse to set things right. Director Brenda Chapman and the storytelling wizards of Pixar conjure humor, fantasy and excitement in this rich Highland tale."
Witherspoon's character is apparently the "brave" character referred to in the internal title, which now becomes the official title. A much better better title, in my opinion. The film originally had a Christmas 2011 release date, but has been pushed back to Summer: June 15th 2012.
A Monsters Inc sequel has been rumored to be in the works for the last couple years. Original writer/director Pete Docter will not return to helm, as the Up filmmaker has stated that he is already developing a new original project. When talking to New York Magazine about Up, Docter was asked if this project was the rumored Monsters Inc 2, Docter replied "I'm not working on ... I'm working on something else, but I cannot announce what it is." He confirmed that the project would probably be ready fr the big screen in 2013 or 2014. No director was cited in variety's one sentence news update.
A Monsters Inc sequel has been rumored for some time now. At Comic-Con 2008, director Pete Docter responded to an audience question about the prospects of a sequel by admitting that "We've thought about it... We've got a couple ideas." Pixar has announced all their films up until 2012, so if we return to Monstropolis it would be 2013 at earliest.
Some of you may remember that the Pixar fansite The Pixar Blog started receiving strange searches for variations of "'monsters 2013 pixar" from computers inside Pixar. Next, at the Las Vegas licensing fair, Disney/Pixar apparently revealed to buyers behind closed doors that not only do they have a sequel in the works, but according to unconfirmed reports, Disney was telling licensees thatPete Docter would be following up Up with a sequel to Monsters, Inc.
Pixar has a great record with sequels so far. Toy Story 2 is one of the best reviewed movies of all time according to Rotten Tomatoes. Truth is, I wouldn't mind seeing a sequel to Monsters, Inc. But I'm not sure I really want to see a sequel if Docter isn't at the helm. The only other Pixar film I'm remotely interested in seeing sequalized is The Incredibles. But with Brad Bird trying to get his live-action adaptation of 1906 off the ground and directing Mission Impossible 4, that isn't likely to happen in the next four or five years, at very least.