Pixar Confirms Surprising New Direction for ‘Finding Nemo’ Franchise
Pixar is heading back under the sea.
The studio has spent the past few years relying more heavily on sequels as theatrical audiences have become harder to predict. Original movies are still part of Pixar’s plans, but familiar franchises have become an increasingly important part of Disney’s animation slate.
Recent box office results explain why. Inside Out 2 earned $1.699 billion worldwide in 2024, briefly becoming the highest-grossing animated movie of all time. This month, Toy Story 5 opened to an estimated $312 million globally, marking both the franchise’s biggest opening weekend and the biggest movie debut of 2026 so far.
More sequels are already in the pipeline. Pixar is developing Incredibles 3 and Coco 2, while original films such as Gatto remain part of its theatrical lineup.
Now, another of the studio’s biggest franchises is getting a new chapter.
Dory Is Returning in a New Story
Disney officially announced a new Finding Nemo project during its presentation at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival on Friday, June 26.
Instead of another feature film, Pixar is making a theatrical short called Loving Dory.
The story follows Dory after she mistakes a floating plastic bag for a jellyfish and falls in love with it.
Lou Hamou-Lhadj is directing the project, with Mary Alice Drumm producing. Disney also shared the first concept art at Annecy but has not announced a release date.
Unlike many recent Pixar shorts, Loving Dory is being made for theaters.
Disney has not confirmed which movie it will play before. Pixar’s next theatrical release is Gatto, which arrives on March 5, 2027.
The project was first reported by Deadline in April, but Annecy marked its official unveiling.
The announcement also confirmed that Ellen DeGeneres will return as Dory.
Another Win for Pixar’s Franchise Strategy
Finding Nemo has already proved it can support more than one film.
Released in 2003, the original became one of Pixar’s biggest hits, winning the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature and introducing Dory as one of the studio’s most recognizable characters.
Pixar returned to the franchise in 2016 with Finding Dory.
The sequel shifted the focus away from Marlin and Nemo, following Dory as she searched for her parents. It became another major box office success and remains one of Pixar’s highest-grossing films.
Loving Dory marks DeGeneres’ return to one of her best-known roles.
The comedian has largely stayed out of the spotlight since The Ellen DeGeneres Show ended. After releasing a Netflix stand-up special in 2024, she said she had retired from the entertainment industry and later moved to the English countryside with her wife, Portia de Rossi.
Her departure followed years of controversy surrounding her daytime talk show.
In 2020, former employees accused The Ellen DeGeneres Show of fostering a toxic workplace culture. The allegations led to internal investigations and a public apology from DeGeneres.
The Finding Nemo announcement wasn’t the only surprise to come out of Annecy.
Walt Disney Animation Studios also revealed Lilo & Scratch, its first theatrical animated short in five years. The project expands the world of Lilo & Stitch following the franchise’s recent resurgence. Maia Kealoha, star of the film’s live-action remake and its upcoming sequel, will take over the role of Lilo’s voice.
Lilo’s original actress, Daveigh Chase, tragically passed away earlier this month.
Are you excited to see Dory return in Loving Dory?
