FROM: Why Did Disney DO That?!? Published As Necessary

Oh, Pixar on It

When Disney bought Pixar, much like when Harry met Sally, the climax came early in the relationship, with a slew of hit movies based on original material. But now the sheets teem with sequels, and Lee Beatens is counseling Pixar to get a life of its own.

- Lee Beatens, March 27, 2011

Today I am going to try to create this article using information dredged from the dark recesses of my memory. Many of the necessary facts are quite old, while others are quite new. But it should all come together to create a rant about Disney's purchase of Pixar.

Why did Disney DO that?

Let's start at the beginning:

Early 1990s  Disney wants John Lasseter to re-join the team. But he's having too much fun over at Pixar. What he really wants to do is create the first full-length all CGI animated feature film. So, long story short, he makes a deal with Disney to create what would become Toy Story.

1995  Toy Story is released to critical acclaim and box office success. From this comes a lucrative deal with Disney to continue creating CGI features.

1998  A Bug's Life, Pixar's second release, is also a smash hit. At this point, a sensible partner would start to ponder why such success is happening. In my opinion, Pixar caught lightning in a bottle twice because they created totally original material.

So what does Disney do next? Do they leave Pixar and its properties alone? Do they encourage the creation of more original content?

Nope.

They tell Lasseter that they are going to release Toy Story 2 as a direct-to-video project done by the Disney television crew.

(Stunned silence)

Naturally, Lasseter chokes on this and gets Disney to let Pixar handle it. Very soon, they realize that they have a bigger picture on their hands than can be contained on DVD. So...

1999  Toy Story 2 is released to theaters instead of to video. It's also a hit, but in my opinion, the possible beginning-of-the-end of Pixar originality. But not immediately...

2001-2009  Monsters Inc.; Finding Nemo; The Incredibles; Cars; Ratatouille; Wall-E; and UP all break box office records and make Pixar a very odd commodity in the movie business because it's the only studio to produce nothing but HITS with original material.

Again, at this point, a sensible partner would start to ponder why such success is happening. And again, the answer is that Pixar creates totally original material.

But what does Disney do?

2010  The next Pixar movie is Toy Story 3. Granted, it was a good movie, and did better business than any other Pixar film (or close to it). But it was still a sequel, and so in my opinion, beneath Pixar's potential. For example, they canceled the intriguing project Newt, which would have been totally original. Instead, we get more same-old-same-old.

But Pixar will finally resist the Sequel Hell that Disney languishes in, right? They will go back to creating all-new projects, right? We won't see Disney ruin Pixar, right?

2011  Your answer: Cars 2.

But there's light at the end of the tunnel, right? Some hope, right? Maybe. But the short announced for the Cars 2 movie is: Hawaiian Vacation starring the Toy Story 3 cast.

(Flabbergast)

Now Pixar is even doing sequels for their shorts??? Could it be that Pixar is finally disappearing into the Disney conglomerate? Will all films in their future simply say 'Disney'?

The only way to maintain Pixar's unparalleled success is if they remain original. So I beg:

NO MORE SEQUELS!

Come on, John; let Disney milk the same old ideas. They're good at it (of course, that is really a matter of opinion!).

Steer Pixar back on track and give us more original content. Or is that bottle you keep the lightning in broken?

More: WHY DID DISNEY DO THAT?!?