A trend that I noticed in a lot of PIXAR’s sequels (Toy Story 2 and 3 and from what I gathered in the Cars 2 trailer) is that they like to give them a “theme” and/or certain film genre that doesn’t necessarily fit the style of the original film. For instance, Toy Story 3 was very much a Prison Escape film, Toy Story 2 was essentially a Road Trip film (or so I’ve heard it) and Cars 2 is a freakin’ awesome Spy film.
So if this trend continues, what other film genre styles would you like to see played in PIXAR sequels? Personally, I think a Science Fiction Horror sequel to WALL-E might be an interesting premise (perhaps if all the robots catch a deadly computer virus and turn into robot zombies while the eponymous character tries to stop them). Make it as outrageous as possible- it’s what they do too.
As I have quite a wild imagination, I imagine Monsters Inc 2 being a action film with gun fights and car chases. Randall and Waternoose return and form a organised crime group of bikers and Mike and Sulley become experienced gunmen and have to take them down. I can’t imagine Pixar doing it that way though, but I hope for Monsters Inc 2, they’ll bring a slightly darker side to Monstropolis.
^^Well yeah it doesn’t necessarily sound like their forte in concept, but with a company so diverse and imaginative I think they could definitely make it work. Plus, you seem to be forgetting that it’d be a PIXAR film- who wouldn’t see it? This is all hypothetical of course.
^ That…would certainly be interesting. I for one wouldn’t mind seeing a Monsters Inc in a film noir-esque plotline, in their retroistic city I could certainly see that happening.
Colette, Linguini, and the rest of the chefs go on a French Reality TV competition to see who can be the best chef in Paris.
And I came up with one for WALL•E, but it’s primarily targeted to a female audience. The story is actually more focused on PR-T as the main character, and her search for “Mr. Right”, which turns out to be VN-GO. The plotline would be done as a girly movie about shopping and friendship. However, just because it’s focused on the reject-bots a little more doesn’t mean WALL•E and EVE are excluded from the picture; they’ll sure have a lot of romantic moments as the story goes along.
^Hm, that sound like a bizarrely interesting twist. But personally I think BRL-A might make a better suitor for PR-T, but that just because I like his British charm.
What about a murder mystery with Ratatouille? They could have a customer who somehow gets poisoned at their restutaunt, Linguini gets framed as the suspect, and Remy and Collette have to work together to investigate? Just an idea.
Here’s my short list of possible PIXAR themed sequels. They’re not great but they kind of make sense in a stupid way, or something.
A Bug’s Life: An Adventure themed film revolving around the destruction of Ant Island after urban land development as Flick tries to find them a new home.
Monsters Inc: A film noir about the devastating effects of using laughter as opposed to screams. Turns out that because children no longer fear Monsters and enjoy their accompaniment, they’ve been less afraid of them and actually started documenting their presence. It involves kidnapped monsters and a strange “Monster Hunter” bent on proving their existence.
Finding Nemo: An environmental- adventure film of sorts that starts with the appearance of a strange black liquid killing with disastrous ecological effects, and the main protagonists go on a quest to explore the cause of it. During their expedition, they encounter a mysterious Baracuda from Marlin’s past and reveal a hidden plot behind the beginning of Finding Nemo (OK, so this sucks. But creating a sequel to Finding Nemo, even with a “themed” addition is still very difficult).
The Incredibles: IncredigirlVirginia mentioned a romance film and I guess that might work. Personally I think a sequel that focused on Violet would be very interesting to watch.
Ratatouille: A Murder Mystery of sorts. Buzz&Woodyforever mentioned Remy and Colette going on a Cooking Duel show and I just ran with it. The reputation of La Ratatouille restaurant has sky rocketed and it’s become the most popular eatery in all of Paris. Remy and Colette are challenged by local chefs on a television food duel in order to win customers back to their restaurants. But with a mishap of a poisoned beignet, Linguini is framed and Remy must uncover the plot behind this.
WALL-E: I already mentioned being interested in a Horror aspect to the sci fi. Takes place several decades after the events of WALL-E, and humanity has fully populated the Earth and restored it to it’s natural beauty. The newly reformed BuyNLarge company has created a brand new software update for their robots, which can now access their “empathy bank” using WALL-E as a model. Unfortunately, this update proves more disastrous, returning them to their “default” mode and creating an robotic uprising. WALL-E who was such an outdated model that the update did not affect his OS is unaffected and must find a solution and restore Eve to her natural self.
UP: I honestly can’t think of a sequel to this film at the moment. Fancy that.
Theme, Genre, Storyline, they’re all the same (OK, not really). The important thing is to try and create a story that is as creative and inventive as the original.
That’s why, after contemplating for a long time, the genre-switch PIXAR sequels is actually the most brilliant plot device ever devised by the Pixar Brain Trust. PIXAR’s previous films are pure gems by themselves, fantastic standalone films so making another original film would be impossible. But by changing the genre and “theme” for the sequel (like Toy Story 3’s “Prison Break” and Cars 2 “Espionage setting”) it allows them to break out of that mold set forth by the first film, and expand on their characters in new inventive settings.
I was just pointing out there was some confusion on the terms, because they’re not the same thing.
But I agree a lot with the brilliance of the genre-switch. As you, said, it permits them to explore a lot of new possibilities in the same universe. Sometimes sequels are just repetitions of the original one.
I like your theme for MI2, Pixar Builder! Right now, the topic of “crytpozoology” is pretty hot, with there having been many recent successful tv shows dealing with unknown creatures or what we’d call “monsters”. It HAS been done before(anyone remember Harry and the Hendersons?)-that plot of an obsessed cryptozoologist determined to capture a monster by any means necessary and prove their existence(which might ring a bit too close to Charles Muntz), but most of these self-proclaimed “monster hunters” are buffoons, and little real threat. Perhaps this time it could be a shadowy government group determined to control the portals into the Monster World, not so much to prove it exists, but to exploit the monsters in a really bad way, and a strong side theme of second chances and cooperation could find its place in the sequel.
Thanks pitbulllady! Personally, I’ve always been interested in paranormal and unexplained phenomena myself, so I love the idea of, in exploring the rest of the Monster World, looking at how the Human world is reacting to it. They could even start off the film with one of the Paranormal Agents taking a closet door and trying to electrically force his way into the Monstropolis.
Hmmmmmm, but I’m not sure if that would necessarily be a direct sequel IncredigirlVirginia, as opposed to something like a Behind-The-Scenes-Quel. And, as incredibly interesting I know that would be, I don’t think they could stretch it out to a 90 minute film. What if they focused on Helen and Bob’s marriage for the beginning of the film, as a sort of mirror parallel to Violet’s marriage?
I just had the funniest idea this week… and yes, it’s WALL•E related.
One year passes by, and it’s the anniversary of when WALL•E and EVE first met, so EVE and the other four probes plan to do a spectacular dance show with bright lights, a giant stage, and upbeat music as a gift for our favorite little trash-bot. And there would be a new robot introduced named DANC•E, who is the ultimate dance teacher-bot.
Yeah, it doesn’t make much sense. Was funny when I first thought of it. Probably gonna get bricked now…
I only even love the movie so much for Helen and Bob.