Pixar Exec on 'Rough Time' for Original Films, Considers 'Toy Story 27' as Alternative

Pixar veteran Pete Docter has opened up about the challenges the studio faces in developing fresh films and original franchises, as its latest release Elio struggles to gain traction at the global box office.

Docter emphasized that Pixar must strive to "discover what people want before they even realize it themselves." He warned that the alternative—simply giving audiences more of what's familiar—would lead to an endless stream of sequels and rehashed ideas. “We’d just be making Toy Story 27,” he remarked during an appearance at Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies Summit, shortly before Elio hit theaters.

In the U.S., Elio brought in only $20.8 million over its opening weekend—the weakest debut for a Pixar film to date. It faced stiff competition from the horror sequel 28 Years Later and Universal’s live-action remake of How to Train Your Dragon. Globally, the film has grossed $14 million so far, bringing its total to $34.8 million worldwide. This figure falls significantly short of its reported $150 million production budget, not accounting for additional marketing expenses.

“It’s a tough time right now, and all we can do is make movies that come from us—films we truly believe in,” Docter said. “It takes just as much effort to create something that doesn’t succeed financially as it does to make a hit. You can’t really plan for these things. Sometimes you just hit the right combination of elements.”

While Elio has been praised by critics, it has clearly failed to generate the level of public enthusiasm that Pixar had anticipated. This marks a sharp contrast to the reception of the studio’s previous film, Inside Out 2, which exceeded expectations and went on to become Disney’s highest-grossing movie ever with $1.69 billion in global revenue.

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Beyond the performance of individual films, broader trends are also influencing audience behavior—such as lingering reluctance tied to post-pandemic cinema habits and the expectation that animated films will soon arrive on streaming platforms.

To manage financial risk moving forward, Docter noted that Pixar is adopting a strategy of alternating between one original film and one sequel to a past success. Following this model, Toy Story 5 is set for a 2026 release. While not quite the exaggerated Toy Story 27 scenario Docter joked about, the decision reflects Pixar’s cautious return to a beloved franchise after the underwhelming performance of Lightyear.

Looking ahead, Pixar’s upcoming slate aligns with this balanced approach, blending original stories with highly anticipated follow-ups. Alongside Toy Story 5, 2026 will feature Hoppers, a comedic body-swap story involving humans and animals. In 2027, audiences will meet Gatto, a film centered around feline characters. The schedule continues with Incredibles 3 in 2028 and Coco 2 slated for 2029.