Pixar Reveals First Look at Finding Dory Sequel, But It’s Not the Follow-Up Fans Think It Is

Pixar was at one point fully defined by bucking the Hollywood trend of franchising, releasing one original movie after another to critical acclaim and box office success. Even when the switch flipped, though, and Pixar began to sequelize its movies and deliver follow-ups and prequels, they still mostly found success in it. Waiting a long time to offer sequels to some of its biggest movies proved to be one of their best decisions, too, with Toy Story 3 premiering eleven years after the second one, and grossing over a billion dollars and earning an Oscar nomination.

Another film that Pixar waited a long time to debut a sequel for was Finding Nemo, with the hit 2003 movie sitting idle for thirteen years before the release of 2016’s Finding Dory. Like Toy Story before it, that wait created major anticipation, resulting in the sequel making over a billion dollars at the global box office. Unlike Toy Story, the underwater world of the Nemo/Dory series has largely stayed still afterward, but a new short film, titled Loving Dory, is set to offer the next chapter in the series, and Pixar has debuted fresh details about it.

Loving Dory Reveals Pixar’s Next Sequel

Earlier this year, it was confirmed that Ellen DeGeneres would return to the role of Dory for an upcoming short film set within the franchise. It marks her first time back as the character since the sequel film, and also her first major project since the end of her talk show. Officially titled “Loving Dory,” Pixar has revealed the first look at the logo for the short, which you can find above.

Though it remains to be seen where the Loving Dory short will be released, we do know that it will be directed by longtime Pixar employee Lou Hamou-Lhadj, who previously directed an episode of Pixar’s Win or Lose and worked on films like Wall-E and Incredibles 2. As far as the plot goes, the short will see Dory finding herself in a “meet-cute” with a plastic bag that has found its way into the ocean. Pixar’s website reveals:

“Confusing it for a gentle jellyfish, she’s moved by its curious nature and falls head-over-fins in love. Every move, every flirtatious advance is motivated by the surge and swell of the ocean. But it doesn’t take long for her new romantic entanglement to escalate from a little clingy to outright toxic — and in desperate need of intervention! Nemo, Mr Ray, and his class all return to her aid, but it comes down to one young snorkeler and an unlikely connection to turn the tide for Dory and the rest of the reef.”

There are three major lingering questions surrounding the upcoming Loving Dory, though, which are worth considering. The first is, when is this short film even going to be released? Perhaps the most likely place will be Pixar’s next movie, the upcoming Gatto set for release on March 5, 2027. That said, debuting all these details about the short now might mean an earlier premiere, but original Pixar movies haven’t had the best life at the box office in recent years, meaning that an incentive related to a beloved franchise could be one way to get audiences in the door.

The second big question to ask is, why is this billion-dollar franchise being relegated to short film status? The two movies in the series have already made almost two billion dollars between them and become the foundation for major pieces of the Disney theme parks. As a result, why is this not a third movie in the series? That question leads us to the third point, though.

Is this new Dory short film being made as a means to test the waters on public opinion of Ellen DeGeneres? As fans may recall, DeGeneres was once a beloved comedian and a household name, but allegations of on-set bullying became rampant around her, with former employees on her talk show going public to reveal the “toxic” work environment that had been created.

Having now largely retired from the entertainment industry, it’s not out of the realm of possibility that this short is being made to see the reception to her return to the character, and if any kind of controversy is reignited by it. If not, Disney and Pixar could feel free to get a third Nemo/Dory feature film in the works, whereas if fans aren’t thrilled, they can call it a day and let this new short be the final say on the series.