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Pixar's Docter Admits Struggles in Creating New Franchises

3/7/2026

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Summary

Story summary

Pixar Chief Creative Officer Pete Docter says the studio struggles to create new hit franchises, partly due to his management style.
He admits he encouraged directors to pursue personal stories that may not resonate.
From 1995 to 2019 Pixar produced Toy Story and Cars, and Coco was its last original hit in 2017.
Now Pixar focuses on sequels, such as Inside Out 2, but has not delivered an original hit.

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Story summary

Pixar Chief Creative Officer Pete Docter says the studio struggles to create new hit franchises, partly due to his management style.
He admits he encouraged directors to pursue personal stories that may not resonate.
From 1995 to 2019 Pixar produced Toy Story and Cars, and Coco was its last original hit in 2017.
Now Pixar focuses on sequels, such as Inside Out 2, but has not delivered an original hit.