Inside Pixar’s Mind: Why Only Some Hits Become Franchises

Pixar remains one of the rare studios where original ideas still pull audiences in, yet since the 2010s, sequels and prequels have become a bigger part of their lineup.

Pete Docter, Pixar’s chief creative officer and director of hits like Monsters Inc., Up, Inside Out, and Soul, opened up to Screen Rant about what truly drives the studio to turn a film into a franchise.

"It really is kind of like a dance between the audience” Docter says. “If nobody cares about the movie, if it doesn’t do well, we don’t really generally explore it. However, if it’s been really great and we can’t find an idea, we don’t really explore. So it really has to hit on two or three different places. We have to know that people love it and we have to feel like it really has something more to bring."

Even when a movie is a box office hit, Pixar won’t rush into a sequel unless the story justifies it.

"Sometimes we spend time developing the project and sometimes reach a creative dead end," Docter admits.

The company’s name itself has become a brand that audiences trust, which helps them launch original films successfully. But as Docter explains, the mystery of when and why to make sequels means Pixar doesn’t just follow trends — they let the story lead. This thoughtful process ensures Pixar’s franchises don’t dilute the magic but preserve the heart of the story — a rare feat in today’s franchise-hungry industry.