All 9 Pixar sequels, ranked from worst to best

Briefing

• Pixar has an acclaimed history of producing high-quality animated films and successful sequels.
• Cars 2 is considered one of Pixar’s weaker sequels due to its departure from the original concept.
• Movies like Cars 3, Monsters University and Toy Story 4 improved upon the sequels by returning to the emotional core of the original stories.

Pixar is an incredible production company when it comes to original animated films, and their history of producing great sequels is pretty incredible as well. Pixar has a great history of producing high-quality animated films and pushing the boundaries of what is possible in computer-generated animation. In addition, the company has always had a knack for delivering stories that were filled with excitement and fun for the whole family.

Since their first feature film, Toy Story, released in 1995, the company gained global recognition and praise. It wasn’t long before they were brought into the Disney family, and now, almost 30 years later, the company has created 27 incredible films. Within this figure, Pixar has recognized the power of individual brands and IPs, and some of their films serve as sequels to previous titles. For the most part, these sequels have managed to gain as much success as their predecessors thanks to Pixar’s incredible team of talented creators.

9 Car 2

While Pixar has a good track record, it is not without flaws. Some films have been much more successful than others, and as far as sequels go, there is one that stands out as the company’s worst. Car 2 it was a significant departure from the original. Not only did the story leave behind some of the main actors that made the original film so popular, it took the exciting world of cars and racing and replaced it with a whole new genre of spies and espionage.

However, while spy movies can be incredibly exciting and compelling, and there have been successful spy movies aimed at younger audiences, making a movie about cars being spies was just a strange mix. Lightning McQueen belongs in the world of racing and his best friend Mater proved invaluable as part of his crew and a trusted friend, but taking them into the strange world of spy cars was a step too far.

8 Car 3

Fortunately, the team at Pixar understood this Car 3 we had to go back to its roots as a film about racing cars. The third entry did just that, and made for a much better story. The film explored the themes of growing up, maturing and finding new purpose in life. At the heart of the story, Lightning McQueen is preparing for the upcoming Florida 500 race, but Lightning is a racing veteran and newer and faster cars are starting to overtake him despite his experience.

The film sees Lightning take on a new role as a mentor, following in the footsteps of his old trainer, Doc Hudson. Thanks to the film’s attempt to create a more emotional story and sticking to a formula that had worked well in the original film, it did Car 3 a much more accessible and entertaining film than the previous sequel. However, to car trilogy remains one of the less strong franchises within the Pixar umbrella, as many of their other sequels were even better.

7 Monsters University

Technically speaking, Monsters University it’s a prequel. However, the movie was released 12 years after the original movie when it came out in 2013. The original movie explored a world full of monsters whose job it is to enter the human world and scare children. Children’s screams are effectively cultivated as a source of energy to power their entire civilization, but in reality, the monsters are deathly afraid of humans, believing them to be poisonous.

Due to the original 2001 film ending with the world of monsters being changed forever, a follow-up story would look dramatically different if they didn’t look back. That’s exactly what happened with Monsters University, which follows the stars of the original film through their college years. The premise is fun, and it made for a great story about how the characters came together for the original film. Thanks to the creative approach and authenticity that connected it Monsters Inc., Monsters University it was a huge success.

6 Finding Dory

Finding Dory there was an even longer time between films, with the original, Finding Nemo, debuting in 2003, and the sequel 13 years later in 2016. However, the emotional story from the first film proved difficult to follow. Pixar is particularly adept at producing emotional and heartfelt stories, and the film about a father who lost his son in the vast ocean was a huge success. Building on that foundation required an equally emotional and important story to avoid a drop in quality.

The sequel found success by addressing one of the original film’s most beloved characters, Dory. Dory struggles with her memory and as a result, she spends most of her life alone. However, the sequel sees Dory finding a new home with Marlin and Nemo, which prompts her to remember her parents. Finding Dory opens a beautiful story about her journey to find her family and overcoming the challenges that stood in her way.

5 The incredibles 2

Continuing the tradition of ever-longer waits between movies, The unbelievable debuted in 2004, and the sequel, The incredibles 2came out 14 years later in 2018. However, The unbelievable had one major disadvantage, in that it explicitly hinted that a sequel was coming in the final moments of the 2004 film. As a result, fans were anxiously awaiting a sequel that would finally explore the adventures of the Parr family as a superhero team.

The anticipation was further exacerbated by the release of one Unbelievable video game that featured Underminer in 2005. Despite this, when the sequel finally came out in 2018, it was a huge success that eclipsed the previous film, doubling the box office and earning over $1.2 billion (via Numbers). The story was set just three months after the original, but the animation and style made both films timeless in a way that worked perfectly for the story.

4 Toy story 4

However, Pixar’s most successful franchise to date remains the first they created. Toy Story has gone on to spawn multiple sequels and earn billions at the box office, with multiple titles earning $1 billion each (via Numbers). Toy Story has gone from strength to strength, with the films consistently receiving positive reviews and generating immense interest from multiple generations. Both children who grew up watching the original films, and younger viewers who have only seen the latest entries in theaters, have become lifelong fans of the series.

Having said that, some entries are better than others. Toy story 4 essentially ends Andy’s saga, as the toys are separated from their family and Andy’s daughter, Bonnie. The film sees them traveling through unknown territories, not unlike the previous entries, but at the conclusion of the film, there is a major development that seems to end the franchise for good. Woody, Buzz Lightyear’s longtime companion, and Andy’s original favorite toy, chooses to leave his friends and Bonnie behind in order to be with his longtime love, Bo Peep.

3 Inside Outside 2

Inside out raised the bar when it came to telling emotional coming-of-age stories when it literally entered the mind of its protagonist Riley in 2015. The film was widely praised for its approach to exploring emotions and how complex and multifaceted they can be for people of all ages. As a result, the film was ripe for a sequel, but a comedy sequel Inside Outside 2 it was only officially announced in 2022, and released in 2024.

As the film’s final release window is relatively short, the film has managed to maintain some momentum with the story. With a slightly older Riley now reaching a point in her life where she experiences a wide range of new emotions, the film has plenty of material to explore. The film is unique in its appeal to audiences, both old and young, and despite the nine-year gap, the film only becomes more relevant as people become more aware of their emotions and how to work with them effectively in instead of working against them.

2 Toy Story 2

Toy Story came out in 1995, and despite the companies relatively little experience, the sequel was able to be released in one of Pixar’s shortest turnarounds of all time, just four years later, in 1999. Toy Story 2 saw the toys tied together on their first outing, but faced with a terrifying new villain in the form of a giant chicken. In reality, there was a man named Al McWhiggin who owned a toy store. Al steals Woody from Andy when he spots the toy after accidentally landing it in the box for a yard sale.

Toy Story 2 is a remarkable acceleration of what happened in the original film, and sees the toys come together to achieve the impossible. It’s also the film that introduces several key characters to the franchise, including Jessie the Cowgirl and Bullseye the Horse. After all, Toy Story 2 surpassed the original in several ways and resulted in an incredible story that kept Pixar at the forefront of animation.

1 Toy story 3

11 years later, Pixar released seven more impressive animated films, all of which were critically acclaimed and won numerous awards. Pixar firmly established itself as a leading contender in the animation space with heartfelt, poignant stories like Wall-E, OVERAND Ratatouille all while pushing the boundaries of what was possible in a children’s film and delivering emotional plots through unusual perspectives.

At this point, Pixar set out to revisit the franchise that put it on the map. Toy story 3 came out in 2010, featuring a fully grown Andy on his way to college. In many ways, Andy is an anchor for the audience that has grown at a similar pace to the character, and this moment is a fun and powerful story and a love letter to Pixar fans over the years. The film is the most mature and emotionally intense of the series, but it is also an example of how far Pixar has come.