The announcement trailer for next year’s Wall-E and news of Up and Toy Story 3 not enough to whet your Pixar appetite? Well, following on from claims reportedly made by Paul Newman last month, rumors of a sequel to the 2007 hit Cars are getting stronger.
At the company’s current rate of one film per year, this would position Cars 2 as a 2011 release, followed in 2012 by the rumored John Carter of Mars. That’s a three year wait between original product, so the question is will it be worth it? Given Cars‘ relatively lukewarm reception (by Pixar standards), is the decision motivated by merchandising dollars? Has Pixar run out of ideas?
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I think not.
As a longtime Pixar fan, Cars was the first film since Toy Story that truly left me wanting more. Something about the world and characters created in that film just oozed sequel potential. Like The Simpsons, the supporting cast was so rich that the story potential was enormous - with or without Lightning McQueen in the starring role. Either way, I have the utmost faith in Pixar when they claim sequels for sequels’ sake aren’t part of the business plan. They appear to be the one studio (hopefully being followed closely by Marvel Studios) that truly cares about quality product over and above all else. Ironically, this attitude serves them so well that it’s hard to believe others don’t follow suit.
As for those merchandising dollars, I’d be more than happy to expand my collection of die-cast toys - so accusations of financial motive do little to dampen my spirits.
So, yes, there may be a long wait. But, then again, after toys and bugs… monsters and fish… superheroes, rats and robots… I’d be curious to see what the guys come up with after a few extra years to think up the next big thing. I’m sure it’ll be more than worth the wait.
On a personal note… and call me crazy… but I’d like to see Pixar take on Garfield. And do it right.
Source: JV Pixar News
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4 Comments
Of all the movies to follow up, Cars does seem surprising. I guess I just don’t know what story they could tell, but I havent been let down by Pixar yet. Besides, I liked Cars. And every time I watch it it grows on me a bit more. I might rank it third after Incredibles at Ratatouille.
As for financial motivation, its hard to believe that isnt at least part of their motive if this is true. I read a recent article about how Cars is a huge player now in merchandise, on the scale of Dora. If true, this oculd have been a motivator for coming up with a good story.
Lastly, I think people would be more open to a Cars sequel if they got their Incredibles sequel too. Thats the one most people want more of.
I agree that as long as Brad Bird is in control at Pixar any movies that come out of there will be made with integrity.
Of course it’s a money making proposition, but every single film to come out of Pixar has had real “heart.”
BTW, Garfield? Is there less of a Pixar-ish comic-strip character?
Vic
I know, I know… the Garfield idea was a little left-of-centre (to say the least). I just love the character so much, I want to see a great CG film of him… with the tongue-in-cheek adult humour… instead of the live-action trash they came up with.
Come to think of it, I can’t really imagine it in Pixar’s hands… nor as anything more than a few short films…
Hey. I was tired. ;o)
If this is true, (and I’m not entirely sure it’s past the rumor stage yet) and even though I’ve said before how their track record should give me more confidence, I just never figured this universe, of all Pixar story universes, would be the best shot at having a legitimit new story spawn from it. Incredibles? Sure.
I would hope,however, seeing that all formally announced upcoming projects have directors associated with them (none of them Bird) that if they do go ahead with it, that Bird be given the reigns of it if from the get-go, if he wants to do it. Having completed Ratatouille, he has proven his ability to take the strangest of concepts and make high caliber movies out of them, and the Cars universe perhaps remains Pixar’s most unusual and abstract.
When all is said and done, I’d personally prefer that Pixar stick with doing more original story work, continuing making new universes for us to explore, rather than going back to old ones. After all, wasn’t one of Ratatouille’s morals centered around celebrating and championing the “new” and the original?
What's your opinion? Leave a comment!