Pixar announced three new animated films at Disney‘s D23 Expo 2022, so let’s just jump right in and cover them, shall we?
Elemental — June 16, 2023
First, the animation studio unveiled a first look at Elemental, which was previously announced last May, and a voice cast for the film. The film’s director Peter Sohn (The Good Dinosaur) made the casting announcement, bringing out Mamoudou Athie (Jurassic World Dominion) and Leah Lewis (The Half of It) on stage.
Elemental is inspired by Sohn’s childhood in New York and follows an “unlikely pair, Ember (Lewis) and Wade (Athie), in a city where fire, water, land and air-residents live together. The fiery young woman and the go-with-the-flow guy are about to discover something elemental: how much they actually have in common.” Elemental is scheduled to open in theaters on June 16, 2023.
Elio — March 1, 2024
Next up is Elio, about “an 11-year-old boy who finds himself transported across the galaxy and is mistaken for the intergalactic Ambassador for our Planet Earth.” Yonas Kibreab (Obi-Won Kenobi) will voice Elio while America Ferrera (Superstore) will voice his mom, Olga Solis, who Ferrera has described as “super-confident, smart and can hold her own in any situation.”
The upcoming animated film will be directed by Coco co-helmer Adrian Molina and will open in theaters on March 1, 2024.
Inside Out 2 — June 14, 2024
Lastly, Pixar confirmed the rumors that a sequel to its 2015 animated film Inside Out was in the works. Amy Poehler will be returning as the voice of Joy, one of the five emotions present in Riley’s mind in the first film. However, it is unknown if Phyllis Smith, Bill Hader, Lewis Black and Mindy Kaling will be back as Sadness, Fear, Anger and Disgust, respectively. I’m seeing some rumblings online that Pixar has cut back on its talent fees and that, while they offered Poehler $5 million to return, the rest of the cast was only offered $100 thousand to reprise their roles.
Poehler said that Inside Out 2 will again “take place inside Riley’s head, only this time she’s a teenager.” Riley will also encounter a new set of personified emotions that haven’t yet been named. Kelsey Mann will direct the sequel, replacing Pete Docter from the first film, while Meg LaFauve returns as screenwriter. The film will open in theaters on June 14, 2024.
Well, there you have it, the next three Pixar films! What are your first thoughts?
