pap64 wrote:Here's the thing: 2013 Pixar is NOT the same Pixar from 1995. 1995 Pixar mainly consisted of a few CalArts graduates and some Disney animators who were working on small projects that were mainly experimental in their nature until they were able to create their first animated feature. They didn't have an image or a reputation to uphold since, in actuality, they were just a quirky animation studio that was trying to sell some ideas of their own to some major studios.
2013 Pixar not only has a reputation to uphold, they have also employed thousands of employees, they have two studios to maintain (in the states and in Canada), and is now part of one of the biggest media conglomerates in the world, which also have their own needs and reputation to take care off. Because they are part of that family, Pixar also needs to make sure they are profitable enough while creating original content, hence the need to reach out towards some of their earlier successes to make sure their franchises remain relevant years later. I know that many look upon this as selling out, but it is a necessary "evil" so to speak. If it wasn't for that, Disney as we know it would have ceased to exist around World War II.
Are you honestly going to argue that Pixar needs money funded from sequels/prequels to maintain its current employment level and studio needs?
Domestic Box Office for Original Titles vs. Profit:
- Toy Story: $191,796,233 (profit $161mil)
- A Bug's Life: $162,798,565 (profit $40mil)
- Monsters Inc.: $255,873,250 (profit $140 mil)
- Finding Nemo: $339,714,978 (profit $245mil)
- The Incredibles: $261,441,092 (profit $170mil)
- Cars: $244,082,982 (profit $120mil)
- Ratatouille: $206,445,654 (proit $56mil)
- Wall-E: $223,808,164 (profit $43mil)
- Up: $293,004,164 (profit $118mil)
- Brave: $237,283,207 (profit $52mil)
Plus, the way you say "I just think the company should get back to its roots" is like you are saying that from then on, it will be nothing but sequels, spin offs and prequels, when in actuality we have The Good Dinosaur, Inside Our and Dia de los Muertos to look forward to in between Monsters U and Finding Dory. All three sound like they will have fascinating ideas and could lead to Wall-E and Up like successes where the quirky concept lead to a story that was very appealing enough for the mainstream audience while the critical audience saw something to cheer about in terms of storytelling quality.
That's not what I said at all? In most cases, building franchises is not about fanservice but instead about making money. Pixar is good about putting out the idea that "a sequel won't be made unless the story is there." I genuinely want to believe them and, again, have not disliked the sequels that they've produced.
Finally, I find it funny how people believe that making a sequel is somehow less creative than creating an original concept just because it is going back to the same world and the same characters. Truth is, expanding on an existing world can be just as challenging, if not more, on a creative level.
Creating sequels is easy in a sense that the characters are already developed and people love them. I'm sure creating a convincing sequel is challenging, absolutely, but why work within a world we've already explored when there are endless possibilities in places we haven't seen?
I'm not saying that Pixar should dedicate themselves to just sequels, and I too want them to pursue better ideas. But I also don't see why people should get angry or upset because ONE sequel was announced amongst many original ideas, or are quick to think that Pixar has lost it. That's all I am saying. Obviously, no matter what I say, what anyone says really, I won't drive home the idea that Finding Dory is not the end of the world or Pixar as people have been saying it is.
Because it's not about one sequel being released, it's about a change in culture for the company. I think you're exaggerating greatly, or maybe I'm not paying attention to others. The backlash that has and is currently occurring is because of the frequency that these sequels/prequels have been released. When a company like Pixar imimtates a company like Dreamworks, it's pretty lame. And people will be loud about it.