Jump to content

Pixar

From Alfawiki
Pixar Animation Studios
Company typeSubsidiary
IndustryAnimation, Film production
Founded1979 (as Graphics Group within Lucasfilm)
FounderEdwin Catmull, Alvy Ray Smith (as Graphics Group founders)
Headquarters
Emeryville, California
,
United States
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
Steve Jobs (former majority shareholder and chairman), John Lasseter, Edwin Catmull, Alvy Ray Smith
ProductsComputer-animated feature films, RenderMan software
OwnerThe Walt Disney Company
ParentWalt Disney Studios (Disney Entertainment division)

Pixar (), officially known as Pixar Animation Studios, is a prominent American animation studio based in Emeryville, California. It is widely recognized for its achievements in computer-animated feature films. Operating as a subsidiary under Walt Disney Studios, Pixar is part of the Disney Entertainment division within the Walt Disney Company.

The studio’s roots trace back to 1979 when it was established as the Graphics Group within the computer division of Lucasfilm. In 1986, it became an independent company with financial backing from Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, who assumed the role of majority shareholder. Later, in 2006, Disney acquired Pixar, incorporating it into its worldwide business structure.

Pixar’s core business strategy revolves around creating feature-length films using its proprietary RenderMan software, a leading image-rendering API widely adopted in the industry. The studio’s mascot, Luxo Jr., represents its pioneering spirit in computer animation technology.

Since launching its first full-length computer-animated movie, Toy Story (1995), Pixar has produced 29 feature films. By 2023, their collective box office revenue exceeded $15 billion globally, with an average earning of $589 million per film. Major successes such as Toy Story 3, Finding Dory, Incredibles 2, Toy Story 4, and Inside Out 2 each generated over $1 billion, capturing a substantial portion of the animation market. Impressively, 15 Pixar movies are ranked among the top 50 highest-grossing animated titles worldwide.

Financial achievements are matched by critical recognition; Pixar has earned 23 Academy Awards, including eleven Best Animated Feature Oscars since 2001. Renowned films like Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, Ratatouille, WALL-E, Up, and Soul have contributed to this acclaim. Notably, both Toy Story 3 and Up were contenders for Best Picture, demonstrating Pixar’s influence beyond animation.

The company’s leadership has played a vital role in its development. Influential figures such as John Lasseter, Brad Bird, Pete Docter, Andrew Stanton, and Lee Unkrich were honored with the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement in 2009, reflecting their significant impact on both the animation industry and Pixar’s success.

Early history

Pixar’s inception dates back to 1974 when Alexander Schure, founder of the New York Institute of Technology (NYIT) and owner of a traditional animation studio, established the Computer Graphics Lab (CGL). He assembled a team of computer scientists including Edwin Catmull, Malcolm Blanchard, Alvy Ray Smith, and David DiFrancesco, who became the lab’s founding members. Schure invested approximately $15 million to fund early research efforts, though this placed financial pressure on NYIT. To pursue their ambition of producing the first computer-animated film, the group moved toward a film studio model after engaging with industry figures such as Francis Ford Coppola and George Lucas.

In 1979, six team members joined Lucasfilm’s Graphics Group, led by Catmull and Smith, who developed foundational computer graphics innovations like the alpha channel. The group created early software tools including REYES—an antecedent to RenderMan—and advanced particle effects and animation technologies. Animator John Lasseter became part of the team in 1983 and created the short film The Adventures of André & Wally B.. Around this period, the term "Pixar" emerged as a distinctive brand name for their digital compositing system.

By 1982, Pixar collaborated with Industrial Light & Magic to produce visual effects for movies such as Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan and Young Sherlock Holmes. In 1986, Catmull and Smith separated the Graphics Group from Lucasfilm to form an independent company with roughly 40 employees. During this time, while waiting for computing technology to advance sufficiently for feature film production, Pixar concentrated on selling hardware—the Pixar Image Computer—targeting sectors like government, science, and medicine. Additionally, Silicon Graphics workstations were employed to facilitate development tasks.

In a related development from 1983, Nolan Bushnell founded Kadabrascope under his Chuck E. Cheese's Pizza Time Theatres enterprise to create computer-controlled animation. Following the video game market collapse that year, Kadabrascope was sold to Lucasfilm and integrated into its Computer Division. Steve Jobs had early connections with Bushnell through Atari before establishing Apple. After Pizza Time Theatres filed for bankruptcy in 1984, it was acquired by ShowBiz Pizza Place.

Independent entity (1986–1999)

Pixar gained independence in 1986 under the leadership of President Edwin Catmull and Executive Vice President Alvy Ray Smith. After facing rejection from 35 venture capital firms and ten corporations—including an unsuccessful negotiation with General Motors—Steve Jobs purchased the company from George Lucas for $10 million, assuming the role of chairman. At that time, Jobs was CEO of NeXT and contributed $5 million in cash along with $5 million for technology rights.

Originally, Pixar's primary focus was on hardware development while continuing work on a computer-animated film project titled Monkey. However, due to technological limitations and budget issues, the company shifted its attention away from this endeavor. Instead, Pixar concentrated on advancing computer hardware and software until technological progress enabled the production of full-length animated features.

Pixar’s partnership with Walt Disney Studios commenced in 1986 when Disney aimed to enhance its animation production processes. Pixar’s technology was integrated into Disney’s Computer Animation Production System (CAPS), which debuted in the 1990 film The Rescuers Down Under.

To increase revenue and attract investment, Steve Jobs encouraged Pixar to demonstrate its technology through short films such as John Lasseter’s Luxo Jr. (1986), which premiered at SIGGRAPH. Despite this, the Pixar Image Computer experienced poor sales, resulting in financial setbacks. Consequently, Jobs boosted his investment to $50 million, gaining complete ownership and reducing shares held by management and employees.

By 1989, Lasseter’s animation team was creating computer-generated commercials. In April 1990, Pixar divested its hardware division to Vicom Systems and moved its operations from San Rafael to Richmond, California. Its software products, including RenderMan, became industry standards for 3D rendering.

Although Pixar maintained its collaboration with Walt Disney Feature Animation, layoffs in the hardware sector reduced staff numbers to approximately 42 by 1991. In March of that year, Steve Jobs acquired all remaining employee shares, becoming sole owner and CEO. Shortly thereafter, Pixar secured a significant $26 million agreement with Disney to produce three computer-animated feature films, beginning with Toy Story (1995).

At this stage, only the software teams responsible for RenderMan and Lasseter’s animation department remained operational. Despite ongoing financial losses, Jobs contemplated selling Pixar several times during the early 1990s but recommitted following favorable critical acclaim for Toy Story and Disney’s distribution support. He took on an active CEO role.

Toy Story earned over $373 million globally, leading to Pixar’s successful initial public offering on November 29, 1995. Listed as "PIXR" on NASDAQ, the IPO outperformed Netscape’s as the largest offering that year, with share prices soaring from $22 to $45 within minutes.

After Toy Story,’’ Pixar discontinued its television commercial division in July 1996 to concentrate exclusively on feature films and interactive media.

During this era, Pixar established the "Pixar Braintrust," a collaborative creative framework involving directors, writers, and lead storyboard artists who offer frank feedback to improve projects. This filmmaker-driven approach stands in contrast to conventional executive-led studios and has been credited with enhancing innovation and quality.

Building on its success, Pixar inaugurated a new studio facility in Emeryville in November 2000 to accommodate its growing operations.

Partnership with Disney (1999–2006)

Disagreements arose between Pixar and Disney concerning Toy Story 2, which was originally intended for direct-to-video release and excluded from Pixar's three-film contract. When the project was elevated to a theatrical release, Pixar insisted it be included in their agreement, but Disney declined. Although the film generated profits, Pixar criticized the imbalance of the deal: while Pixar managed production and Disney handled marketing and distribution, profits and expenses were split evenly, Disney maintained exclusive ownership of storylines, characters, and sequel rights, and also collected a 10%-15% fee for distribution.

Efforts to renegotiate terms between 2001 and 2005 were unsuccessful. Pixar aimed to gain authority over production, secure ownership of story and sequel rights, finance its own films independently, and limit Disney’s role to receiving distribution fees. Disney opposed these demands, particularly Pixar’s request for control over projects already underway such as The Incredibles (2004) and Cars (2006).

Relations deteriorated further in 2004 due to conflicts between Steve Jobs and Disney CEO Michael Eisner, causing negotiations to stall. In response, Disney established Circle Seven Animation to produce sequels without Pixar’s involvement. Meanwhile, Jobs explored alternative partnerships but refrained from engaging competitors despite interest from Warner Bros., Sony Pictures, and 20th Century Fox. Discussions resumed following Eisner’s exit in 2005. To improve its leverage, Pixar moved release dates to early summer for enhanced box office potential and extended the contract timeline.

Prior to Disney’s acquisition of Pixar, a distribution agreement was secured for Ratatouille (2007), guaranteeing Disney's distribution rights if the acquisition did not proceed. Unlike previous contracts, this deal allowed Pixar to retain full ownership while Disney earned only a distribution fee. Ultimately, the acquisition rendered this arrangement obsolete.

Walt Disney Studios Division (2006–present)

In January 2006, Disney announced plans to acquire Pixar in an all-stock transaction valued at roughly $7.4 billion, finalized by May 2006. This deal made Steve Jobs—who held 49.65% of Pixar shares—Disney’s largest individual shareholder with a 7% stake worth approximately $3.9 billion, along with a seat on Disney’s board of directors. Pixar shareholders received 2.3 shares of Disney stock per share owned in Pixar. Jobs’ ownership surpassed that of former leading stakeholders Michael Eisner and Roy E. Disney.

Following the acquisition, John Lasseter was appointed Chief Creative Officer for both Pixar and Walt Disney Animation Studios, reporting directly to CEO Bob Iger. Ed Catmull retained his position as President of Pixar and additionally assumed the presidency of Walt Disney Animation Studios. Steve Jobs stepped down as Pixar CEO but remained on Disney’s board.

Lasseter disclosed that Iger’s decision to purchase Pixar was influenced by observing the absence of new Disney-created characters during a 2005 parade at Hong Kong Disneyland—a sign of Pixar’s recent creative leadership. Upon returning, Iger commissioned a financial review confirming that Disney had experienced losses in animation over the previous decade, prompting board approval for acquisition negotiations with Pixar.

Although under shared leadership, Pixar continued operating as an independent legal entity with its own human resources policies and maintained its branding after the merger. The studio remained based in Emeryville and adopted the "Disney•Pixar" brand starting with Cars. Jim Morris—producer of WALL-E—was appointed general manager responsible for daily operations.

Lasseter and Catmull successfully integrated Pixar’s creative methodologies into Disney Animation through initiatives like the "Disney Story Trust," promoting collaboration while preserving each studio's unique identity and culture. Both studios retained full responsibility for their respective projects without personnel exchanges, ensuring local ownership and accountability—thus managing challenges experienced during productions such as Ratatouille and Bolt internally without cross-studio interference.

Growth and John Lasseter’s Departure (2010–2018)

On April 20, 2010, Pixar established Pixar Canada in downtown Vancouver, British Columbia, focusing on producing seven short films featuring characters from the Toy Story and Cars franchises. This 2,000-square-meter facility was shuttered in October 2013 to streamline operations back at Pixar’s primary headquarters.

In November 2014, Jim Morris was elevated to the position of president at Pixar, while Andrew Millstein assumed the presidency of Disney Animation; both executives reported directly to Ed Catmull, who continued to serve as president of both studios.

Following allegations of inappropriate conduct toward employees, co-founder and chief creative officer John Lasseter took a six-month leave beginning November 21, 2017. Reports surfaced detailing a pattern of alleged sexual misconduct. On June 8, 2018, Lasseter announced he would leave Disney Animation and Pixar by the end of the year, remaining in a consulting capacity until then. Pete Docter was appointed as Pixar’s new chief creative officer on June 19, 2018.

Financial Achievements and Sequels (2018–2019)

Incredibles 2, released on June 15, 2018, set new records for the widest worldwide and domestic opening weekends for an animated feature, ultimately grossing $1.2 billion globally. On October 23, 2018, co-founder Ed Catmull declared his retirement but stayed on as an advisor until July 2019. Lee Unkrich departed Pixar after a 25-year tenure on January 18, 2019, though he later returned.

On June 21, 2019, Toy Story 4 broke the record for the widest global opening weekend previously held by Incredibles 2, earning over $1 billion at the box office and securing the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. During the 2019 D23 Expo, Pixar unveiled its upcoming project Soul, slated for release in 2020.

In preparation for Disney+’s launch, Pixar debuted SparkShorts, a collection of experimental shorts developed by Pixar employees aimed at promoting innovation and diversity within animation.

Pandemic Impact, Streaming Strategy, and Financial Challenges (2020–present)

Pixar’s March 2020 release Onward faced disappointing box office results due to the COVID-19 pandemic and was made available early via Disney+. The film Soul shifted its release to December 2020 on Disney+, becoming the first streaming-released animated feature to win an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. Subsequent titles such as Luca (2021) and Turning Red (2022) premiered exclusively on Disney+ without additional fees, signaling a strategic emphasis on streaming platforms. This approach sparked internal concerns among Pixar staff regarding the diminishing focus on theatrical releases.

In June 2022, Pixar returned to cinemas with Lightyear, which underperformed financially with reported losses around $106 million. Leadership adjustments included Jonas Rivera’s promotion to Executive Vice President of Film Production in September 2022. By December that year, Disney CEO Bob Iger highlighted an intensified focus on leveraging the Pixar brand. Nonetheless, layoffs followed in June 2023 affecting approximately 75 positions, including senior executives from the Lightyear production team.

That same month saw the debut of Elemental, which initially struggled at the box office but later recovered to exceed $400 million worldwide by August 2023. Pixar President Jim Morris forecasted profitability driven by combined revenue streams from theatrical releases, streaming services, theme parks, and merchandise sales. Planned workforce reductions affecting about one-fifth of Pixar’s employees were postponed in early 2024 but resumed in May with a roughly 14% cutback, reflecting a strategic pivot back toward prioritizing theatrical features over direct-to-streaming projects.

On June 14, 2024, Inside Out 2 premiered with a record-setting global opening weekend of $294 million. It became Pixar’s highest-grossing film internationally and set multiple box office milestones—including fastest animated film to reach $1 billion worldwide and largest second weekend gross—highlighting Pixar’s dominant market presence and effective theatrical distribution strategy.

Campus

When Steve Jobs, then CEO of Apple Inc. and Pixar, along with John Lasseter, Pixar’s executive vice president, opted to move from leased offices in Point Richmond, California, they chose a 20-acre property in Emeryville, California formerly owned by Del Monte Foods, Inc. The initial structure, crafted by Bohlin Cywinski Jackson, incorporates specialized foundations and backup power generators designed to maintain continuous film production during significant earthquake events. Its two-level steel and masonry architecture promotes teamwork while paying homage to Emeryville’s industrial past.

Pixar’s operational approach leverages sophisticated applied mathematics disciplines such as computational physics and geometry to pioneer advances in digital animation. In 2008, senior scientist Tony DeRose hosted the second Julia Robinson Mathematics Festival at the Emeryville campus, demonstrating the company’s dedication to STEM outreach.

Filmography

Traditions

Pixar’s early animation team comprised former traditional cel animators like John Lasseter, experts in computer animation, and recent graduates. Many new employees were hired around major releases including A Bug's Life (1998), Monsters, Inc. (2001), and Finding Nemo (2003). The breakthrough success of Toy Story (1995) positioned Pixar as the first prominent studio to produce theatrical films exclusively through computer animation. Unlike the animation industry centered in Los Angeles, Pixar operates out of the San Francisco Bay Area with a primary focus on digital rather than hand-drawn animation techniques.

Due to relocation difficulties faced by Los Angeles-based animators, Pixar mainly recruited recent college graduates and professionals without feature animation backgrounds. Their proprietary Marionette software reduced the need for extensive training among those with traditional animation experience.

In a 2007 interview, Lasseter highlighted that Pixar’s core business philosophy revolves around storytelling themes centered on personal growth and self-improvement, mirroring the company’s own development journey.

Actor John Ratzenberger has contributed voice performances to every Pixar film from Toy Story through Onward (2020), becoming a consistent brand presence. Pixar acknowledged his ongoing participation by parodying earlier movies within Cars (2006).

The studio fosters brand loyalty through recurring motifs such as anthropomorphic characters and Easter egg crossovers, which have inspired fan theories like the "Pixar Theory" that connects all films within a shared universe.

From a financial perspective, Pixar is recognized for its substantial production budgets ranging between $150–200 million on titles including Ratatouille (2007), Toy Story 3 (2010), Incredibles 2 (2018), and forthcoming projects like Inside Out 2 (2024). According to president Jim Morris in 2023, these expenses reflect a business strategy committed to producing entirely within the United States with all creative staff consolidated under one roof—differing from competitors who lower costs by outsourcing overseas.

Sequels and prequels

By March 2025, seven Pixar films have either received or are slated for sequels or prequels: Toy Story, Cars, Monsters, Inc., Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, Inside Out, and Coco.

Originally planned as a 60-minute direct-to-video release, Toy Story 2 was transformed into a full-length feature thanks to persuasion from founder John Lasseter, becoming Pixar’s third feature film. After its 1999 debut, an agreement between Pixar and Disney stipulated that Disney would not produce sequels without Pixar’s involvement. When negotiations faltered, Disney developed Toy Story 3 independently through Circle Seven Animation. Following Disney's acquisition of Pixar in 2006 and Lasseter’s appointment as head of both studios’ animation divisions, sequel projects were paused and Circle Seven's version canceled. Shortly thereafter, control of Toy Story 3 returned to Pixar with a new storyline; it premiered in 2010 as their eleventh feature film.

Lasseter stressed that sequels would only proceed if supported by strong storytelling. Announced in 2008 and released in 2011, Cars 2 was Pixar’s first sequel outside the Toy Story franchise. The prequel Monsters University, announced in 2010 and released in 2013 after scheduling adjustments to align with Pixar’s successful summer release pattern, explores the origins of Monsters, Inc..

In 2011, Tom Hanks revealed that work on Toy Story 4 had begun; this was officially confirmed in 2014 with Lasseter directing. After his departure in 2017, Josh Cooley assumed sole directorship. Released in June 2019, Toy Story 4 ranks among the top 40 highest-grossing films in U.S. history.

Pixar president Jim Morris indicated in 2016 that the studio might reduce focus on sequels after Toy Story 4, a view echoed by producer Mark Nielsen in 2019. Chief creative officer Pete Docter confirmed a temporary pause on sequels to prioritize original content but acknowledged their importance for financial sustainability. At the September 2022 D23 Expo, Docter alongside Amy Poehler announced Inside Out 2, slated for June 2024 release. In February 2023, Disney CEO Bob Iger confirmed development of Toy Story 5, targeting a 2026 launch. In August 2024, Docter disclosed that production on Incredibles 3 is underway with Brad Bird returning as director.

Docter emphasized that sequels advance only when there is substantial new narrative potential. In March 2025, Iger announced that Coco 2 is being developed with Lee Unkrich and Adrian Molina reprising their roles as director and co-director respectively, with Mark Nielsen producing.

This approach balancing original productions and sequels exemplifies Pixar’s business model aimed at maintaining market position and financial health through innovation alongside leveraging established franchises.

Adaptation to television

Pixar's initial venture into television adaptations began with Toy Story, which led to the creation of the Buzz Lightyear of Star Command movie and accompanying series broadcast on UPN (currently The CW). Following this, Cars inspired the short-form series Cars Toons, centered around Mater and aired on Disney Channel. Between 2013 and 2014, Pixar introduced its first two TV specials: Toy Story of Terror! and Toy Story That Time Forgot. In July 2021, Disney Television Animation launched Monsters at Work, a spin-off from Monsters, Inc., exclusively on Disney+.

On December 10, 2020, Pixar revealed plans for three new series debuting on Disney+. The first, titled Dug Days, featuring the character Dug from Up, premiered on September 1, 2021. The second series, Cars on the Road, follows Lightning McQueen and Mater on a cross-country journey, premiering September 8, 2022. The original show Win or Lose, portraying a middle school softball team through various viewpoints, was released on February 19, 2025.

In June 2023, Pixar announced it was developing an Inside Out television series for Disney+, with co-writer Mike Jones serving as developer. Named Dream Productions, this series premiered December 11, 2024. These television projects contribute to Pixar’s worldwide expansion and broaden its offerings within the streaming sector, strengthening its position in family entertainment.

2D animation and live-action

Pixar’s portfolio is predominantly composed of computer-generated animated films. However, WALL-E (2008) stands out by incorporating limited live-action elements, including clips from the 1969 movie Hello, Dolly!. Several Pixar shorts such as Your Friend the Rat (2007), Day & Night (2010), Kitbull (2019), Burrow (2020), and Twenty Something (2021) showcase traditional hand-drawn animation techniques.

The live-action project titled 1906, which focused on the San Francisco earthquake and was developed by Brad Bird, was ultimately shelved by Pixar. Nevertheless, it remains a candidate for adaptation either as a television series or a live-action feature film, highlighting Bird’s intent to broaden Pixar’s creative horizons.

Pixar president Jim Morris produced Disney’s live-action film John Carter (2012), which was co-written and directed by Pixar’s Andrew Stanton. Additionally, Pixar executives played key roles in script development for Disney’s The Muppets and contributed to story development for Disney’s The Jungle Book, earning "Special Thanks" credits. Moreover, Pixar animators participated in creating a hand-drawn animation segment featured in the 2018 release of Mary Poppins Returns.

Pixar has also supported the English-language localization of numerous Studio Ghibli productions—particularly those directed by Hayao Miyazaki—thereby expanding their international reach.

In 2019, Pixar ventured into live-action reality programming with the hidden-camera series Pixar in Real Life, which premiered on Disney+, marking diversification beyond its traditional animation focus.

Upcoming films

Five forthcoming films have been announced by Pixar. Among these are Hoppers, directed by Daniel Chong, scheduled for release on March 6, 2026; Toy Story 5, under the direction of Andrew Stanton, set for June 19, 2026; and Gatto, helmed by Enrico Casarosa, planned for June 18, 2027. Additionally, projects in development include Incredibles 3, directed by Peter Sohn, as well as a sequel to Coco, with director Lee Unkrich and co-director Adrian Molina returning. These upcoming titles exemplify Pixar's strategic focus on maintaining market presence through both sequels and original productions, thereby reinforcing its competitive edge within the animation sector.

Franchises

This list does not include the Cars spin-offs produced by Disneytoon Studios.

Franchise Feature Films Shorts TV Series Seasons Years Active
Toy Story 7 7 4 1995–present
Monsters, Inc. 2 2 2 2001–present
Finding Nemo 2 4 0 2003–present
The Incredibles 2 5 0 2004–present
Cars 3 4 2 2006–present
Inside Out 2 1 1 2015–present

Top-grossing Films

  Denotes films currently showing in theaters
Leading North American box office performers
Position Movie Title Release Year Box Office Revenue
Inside Out 2 | 2024 | $652,980,194
Incredibles 2 | 2018 | $608,581,744
Finding Dory | 2016 | $486,295,561
Toy Story 4 | 2019 | $434,038,008
Toy Story 3 | 2010 | $415,004,880
Finding Nemo‡ | 2003 | $380,843,261
Inside Out | 2015 | $356,921,711
Up | 2009 | $293,004,164
Monsters University | 2013 | $268,492,764
The Incredibles | 2004 | $261,441,092
Top worldwide box office performers
Position Movie Title Release Year Global Revenue
Inside Out 2 |2024 | $1,698,863,816
Incredibles 2 |2018 | $1,243,225,667
Toy Story 4 |2019 | $1,073,394,593
Toy Story 3 |2010 | $1,066,969,703
Finding Dory |2016 | $1,028,570,889
Finding Nemo‡ |2003 | $941,637,960
Inside Out |2015 | $857,611,174
Coco |2017 | $807,816,196
Monsters University |2013 | $743,559,607
'Up' |2009 |'$735,099,082'

‡Includes theatrical re-releases.

Co-op Program

The Pixar Co-op Program is an element of Pixar University's professional development offerings that allows animators to utilize company facilities for their own independent projects. The first fully three-dimensional film produced through this program was Borrowed Time (2016), while earlier entries were live-action works. This program fosters creativity and innovation aligned with Pixar’s operational strategy.

See also

External links

Retrieved from "https://www.alfawiki.org/index.php?title=Pixar&oldid=10192"