I think the most likely next choices after Brave are Angus MacLane, Victor Navone, Doug Sweetland, Steven Clay Hunter, Tony Fucile, Alan Barillaro and Lou Romano or Ralph Eggleston.
My guesses are the same as TS2’s. =)
My most-wanted future Pixar directors would be Angus MacLane, Doug Sweetland, and then Ralph Eggleston (his pastel work is just divine). I’m really looking forward to Gary Rydstrom’s, Newt so other that I really can’t think of anyone. The other potential directors don’t really jump out at me, but if Pixar think they’ve got the talent for it, I’m sure they’ll be given a go at a short film then feature.
Agree with LeBatEnRouge
Tim Burton’s films are kinda … dark?
I dunno the word they have a depressing or dark mood to all of them.
Especially Sweeney Todd.
shudder that movie was scary.
And plus, he might drag in Johnny Depp and his girlfriend (forgot her name). Though I don’t see what would be wrong with having JD in a Pixar film.
But definitely Victor Navone or Ralph Eggleston or Lou Romano.
Mostly Pixar people I think do the best job on Pixar films. XD
All that I can think of right now is Angus MacLane. Maybe Randy Newman (just a thought, I don’t know if he has any directing experience). 
And Lee Unkrich! How could I have not mentioned him before?
Isn’t Lee Unkrich directing Toy Story 3 or something?
Oh, yeah… I totally forgot about Lee directing Toy Story 3. Yay!
I’d have to say that I wouldn’t mind Peter Sohn directing a film in the future. From what I’ve seen (which is not much, really; I’ll have to wait to see the actual film), he’s done a fabulous job with Partly Cloudy.
I’d have to wait and see what Partly Cloudy is like before wanting to see Peter Sohn direct a feature. A Ralph Eggleston feature would be cool, or even just another short.
Lee Unkrich has already co-directed three films at Pixar: Toy Story 2, Monsters, Inc. (which also had two other directors) and Finding Nemo. Bob Peterson co-directed Up. Tim Burton will never work at Pixar. And, he’s already working on a CG film at Disney - a live-action/performance capture version of Alice in Wonderland.
Well, to say that Tim will never work at Pixar is poor judgement. As most people here know, I’d love for him to direct a Pixar film.
I would also like to see John bring the great Disney animators in to do a film, or at the very least, work on a film; people like Andreas Deja, Mark Henn, Ruben A. Aquino, Dale Baer, Nik Ranieri. and Glen Keane.
Burton’s storytelling skills are not to Pixar’s level. He will never work at Pixar. And Pixar already has some Disney animators working at the studio (some of the best).
But Disney Animation in L.A. needs a lot of help now. I’d like to see any of those animators get the opportunity to do some great stuff again. Deja’s never been a particularly good animator. Good draftsman, but can’t act. His work never probes the character further than what someone else has done before.
I agree. I like a few of Tim Burton’s films, but on the whole, his stories have been weak. I very much doubt he’d ever bow to the Pixar process.
And as far as Disney animators, Nik Ranieri, Tony Fucile, Duncan Marjorbanks, Kathy Zelinski, Dave Pruixsma, and Glen Keane are tops in my book. I agree that while Deja can move things around okay, he’s not a very good actor and his characters are rather bland.
Lee Unkrich is perfect for Toy Story 3 if John’s not doing it. However Brad Lewis for Cars 2… I don’t know. Maybe it will work out. Pixar movies are good whoever directs them.
The only reason I’m disappointed Brad Lewis is directing Cars 2 is because he also directed Antz which I’m sure I’m not the only one on these boards that hates that film.
Lewis didn’t direct Antz. He was one of six or seven producers, and one of four producers on Ratatouille. Seeing as he’s never produced a film by himself or ever directed, I doubt John Lasseter is very far away from the directing chair.
Wow, you guys are hard core. Actually, I quite like Lilo and feel she is a unique character that no one has seen before and that sensitivity would make for a good director - if he wanted the position.
After talking very briefly with Doug, I would say he would be at the top of my list. Great guy, an excellent actor, and he has already directed a fine short film.
Deja didn’t write or direct Lilo & Stitch. Dean DeBlois and Chris Sanders did. I would agree, however, that Lilo is the best thing he did.
Not every short filmmaker at Pixar has or will make a feature, I bet.
Yes indeed, but I guess my point was that most of the director suggestions were animators or story artists - people who understood character relationships and how they relate to an audience. I’m guessing Andreas is pretty happy with his current situation but if he were to make the switch to director, he would bring the insight learned from supervising Lilo.
Yes, not everyone that makes a short film will switch to feature director but for those who have never directed a feature film before, I can’t think of a better way to gain experience and get acquainted with the CG film making process.