Pixar Animation Studios isn't churning out movies at a high rate, but they make every release count. The stories and characters in their films are so vivid that they almost always spurn a whole franchise around them. The latest example is "The Incredibles," which is inching closer to a long-awaited sequel. Additionally, there is a fourth "Toy Story" film in the works. So what are the best Sequels (or prequels) ever released by the studio that can seemingly do no wrong?
4. 'Monsters University'
The only prequel on this list, "Monsters University" came out 12 years after the animated classic "Monsters Inc." The origin story of the friendship between Mike and Sulley is cute, if not a little bit forced.
There wasn't anything truly special about this Pixar film, though. It felt formulaic in comparison to some of the studio's other movies, lacking the inspiration that made "Monsters Inc." into a beloved movie.
3. 'Toy Story 2'
After the success of "Toy Story," Pixar just had to make a sequel - it was the first sequel from the studio and just the third movie the studio ever made (with "A Bug's Life" smacked in between). The smartest part of the movie was the introduction of Jessie, giving some service to an entire gender that was all but ignored in the original film. Some say it's better than the original, but those people probably also think "Cars 2" was a great Pixar movie.
2. 'Finding Dory'
Pixar waited for the perfect opportunity to release the sequel to "Finding Nemo," leading to the biggest box office opening for an animated film of all-time.
The substance vibed with the style, though. At this point, the people at Pixar knew how to tug at heartstrings, leading to a movie that made audiences of all ages cry. The only reason it can't top the list is that it followed a lot of the same conventions of "Finding Nemo," leading to some originality problems.
1. 'Toy Story 3'
For people of a certain generation - people born in the 1990s, specifically - this is the Pixar movie that changed the sequel scene forever. The climax of that movie had all audiences bursting into tears in one of the most affecting scenes in animated history. The rest of the movie was full of wit, creativity, and imagination.
A fourth movie in the franchise may seem like a bridge too far at this point, but there's clearly a track record of success.
Expectations will be high for "The Incredibles 2," with Pixar setting a sequel release date for June 15, 2018.
