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Pixar is returning to Italy for new original film Gatto by Enrico Casarosa about a cat living in the iconic lagoon city of Venice.

The CGI powerhouse announced the upcoming movie during a presentation at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival on Friday as well as on its Instagram account.

The drama follows a black cat named Nero who lives lin Venice. Indebted to a feline mob boss, he is forced to forge an unexpected friendship that may finally lead him to his purpose.

Currently in production, the movie is scheduled to hit cinemas in 2027.

Casarosa previously directed the Oscar-nominated Italian Riviera-set movie Luca (2022) and short film Boy on the Moon (2012) for Pixar.

The Italian-born, U.S.-based animator and director joined the studio in 2002, and has also previously worked as a story artist on Cars, Ratatouille, Up, Cars 2 and Coco as well as head of story on The Good Dinosaur.

Netflix revealed the first details of its Stranger Things animated spinoff, Stranger Things: Tales From ’85, and its hot awards-season contender In Your Dreams at a panel at the Annecy film festival on Wednesday

The animated expansion of the Stranger Things universe will be set in Hawkins “in the stark winter of 1985” between seasons 2 and 3 of the original live-action series and feature the show’s original characters — with one new edition, Nikki, a tough, mohawk-wearing gal — fighting “new monsters and unravel[ing] a paranormal mystery terrorizing their town.”

Stranger Things creators Matt and Ross Duffer are executive producing the animated series via their Upside Down Pictures production banner, along with Upside Down’s Hilary Leavitt, and Shawn Levy and Dan Cohen via 21 Laps. Eric Robles will executive produce via Flying Bark Productions and act as showrunner.

Robles gave the Annecy audience a sneak peek at the series, which he said was...

If you feel it, chase it — no wait, wrong movie. But after nearly 20 years, Disney may still be looking to chase the magic of one iconic character. The Pixar movie Cars was released in 2006, and it's gone on to spawn sequels, as well as theme park rides, and more. According to the voice of Lightning McQueen himself, Owen Wilson, Disney is still looking for that perfect "Ka-Chow." Talking with Collider's Christina Radish for his Apple TV+ series Stick, Wilson explains that he didn't expect the longevity of the character at all and says:

"Of course, I could never have imagined that it would continue on the way it has. Just a week ago, I was recording something. They’re doing something with Lightning McQueen that I went in for and found myself saying, 'Ka-Chow.' I asked them, 'There must be a bank of Ka-Chows that you have at this point.

Pixar’s legacy in the realm of animation remains unparalleled, especially when it comes to their 2000s slate, which witnessed the likes of Up, Ratatouille, and The Incredibles. While Pixar movies are notable for playing on the heartstrings of viewers, The Incredibles is often cited as one of the most intense stories the revered studio has crafted, and rightfully so.

While the movie still remains an endearing watch for kids, the themes and narratives resonate more with older teens and adults, and interestingly, the movie didn’t shy away from tackling murder, at least attempted murder.

Mr. Incredible straight-up murdered one guard in the first movie (probably) The Incredibles | Credit: Pixar

Death has always been a touchy subject when it comes to media targeted at kids, and even though Pixar has jumped through hoops to get around it, The Incredibles did earn the studio its first PG rating at the time.

It director Andy Muschietti is attached to helm Drift, based on an unpublished short story by Ben Queen and Jason Shuman (“Acapulco”).

The grounded science fiction film is described as “Gravity meets Arrival.”

Deadline reports that it was on the market for less than 24 hours, inciting a bidding war in which Skydance came out on top. It sold for around $2 million against higher if the movie gets made.

In the 38-page story, when his estranged son vanishes during a space mission, a once-legendary, now fallen from grace shuttle commander is pulled into a high-stakes hostage exchange in space to get his boy back from captors who are not from Earth.

Queen and Shuman, who made a splash last year with the sale of their Cola Wars pitch to Sony with Judd Apatow on board to direct, will pen the script.

Andy & Barbara Muschietti’s Double Dream producing alongside Scott Glassgold’s 12:01 Films.

It's generally agreed that John Lasseter's 2006 film "Cars" is one of Pixar's less ambitious movies. Other movies in the Pixar canon tickled the imagination by presenting the secret worlds of commonplace beings. "Toy Story" posited that our toys came to life when we weren't looking (which we always kinda knew was true anyway). "A Bug's Life" saw ants as arranged into a tiny, secret society, while "Finding Nemo" did the same with fish. "Monsters, Inc." said that closet monsters were real, but that they only scare children as an element of a boring, blue-collar job. Back in monster land, the monsters are boring like your dad. 

"Cars" was a departure for the studio, as there was no secret being revealed. "Cars" took place in a parallel universe wherein living beings were replaced by anthropomorphic vehicles. They had eyes instead of windshields, and mouths on their bumpers. They seemed to eat gasoline.

Paradise Season 2 has been filming for a few weeks now, and the creative team is certainly not being shy about sharing new looks at production. Days after the official Paradise Instagram account shared a look at returning star Sterling K. Brown and newcomer Shailene Woodley from behind the scenes of Season 2, Dan Fogelman has followed suit and released a new image of Brown from Season 2. The image shows Brown reprising his role as Agent Xavier Collins, looking a bit worse for wear, with one of his eyes even being extremely bloodshot. Hulu has yet to set an official release date for Paradise Season 2, but it’s expected to return to the streamer sometime before the end of next year.

Starring alongside Brown in Paradise Season 1 is James Marsden, who portrays President Cal Bradford. Cal is murdered during the opening moments of Paradise, and although the entire season follows Brown’s Collins investigating his death,...

Christopher Nolan‘s space epic Interstellar wasn’t just a mind-bending journey through space and time—it was also a masterclass in budget efficiency. Made for approximately $165 million, the film delivered spectacular visuals, an all-star cast, and groundbreaking scientific concepts that had audiences questioning reality.

But would it surprise you to learn that several animated features actually cost more to produce? It’s true! While Nolan was crafting realistic wormholes and fifth-dimensional tesseracts, animation studios were quietly pouring even more cash into pixels and rendering farms.

The incredible artistry behind these animated blockbusters comes with a hefty price tag that would make even a black hole-exploring spacecraft seem economical by comparison. The technical challenges of bringing completely imagined worlds to life frame-by-frame sometimes demand resources that even interstellar travel can’t match.

1. Tangled

Disney‘s 2010 adaptation of Rapunzel didn’t just feature incredible hair animation—it featured incredibly expensive hair animation.

Tim Allen revealed an interesting tidbit about Toy Story 5, one that suggests a fan-favorite character will at the forefront of the new movie - but it won't be Buzz or Woody. 2025 marks the 30th anniversary of Toy Story's release in theaters, kicking off one of the most profitable and critically acclaimed animated film series of all time. After three decades, the franchise is still going strong. A fifth film in the series is set to open in theaters on June 19, 2026. Toy Story 5 certainly has fans concerned it will be more of the same, but it looks like Pixar will shake up the franchise a bit by shifting the main character.

In an interview with Wibv, via Deadline, Buzz Lightyear voice actor Tim Allen revealed that Toy Story 5 will center on the character of Jessie, the cowgirl doll voiced by Joan Cusack, who debuted in Toy Story 2.

From 1989 to 1999, the Disney Renaissance was in full swing. Beginning with "The Little Mermaid" and concluding with "Tarzan," the 10 films Walt Disney Animation Studios produced during that time marked a critically and commercially successful resurgence for the studio. The studio had previously struggled in the 18 years following Walt Disney's death in 1966, with films such as "The Black Cauldron" undergoing massive production issues and bombing at the box office. The success of the Disney Renaissance coincided with the expanding home video market, and direct-to-video sequels to some of the studios' biggest hits were produced, with "Aladdin," "Beauty and the Beast," and "The Lion King" among them. By the 2000s, direct-to-video sequels for "Pinocchio," "Dumbo" and "The Aristocats" were also in development, but were ultimately scrapped when John Lasseter took over as Chief Creative Officer of all of Disney Animation in 2006.

In 2001, a trailer for "Dumbo II" was included in the "Dumbo...

Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, it seemed as if Pixar could do no wrong. The animation studio, in league with Disney, pushed forward the idea of all-computer-animated feature films back in 1995 with the release of "Toy Story," gaining a lot of critical attention for its clever writing and penchant for heart-rending sentimentality. It wouldn't be until the release of "Cars 2" in 2011 that critics would begin to cool to the studio. And even still, "Cars 2" was a $559 million hit.

In the 2010s, Pixar began to skew further and further away from original ideas and lean heavier into sequels or prequels to its earlier hits. Indeed, of the 10 Pixar features released in that decade, six were part of an established franchise. Some of these films were excellent, but the studio nevertheless seemed a few years beyond its creative peak.

The first half of the 2020s was a mixed bag for Pixar,...

As rebel filmmaker Werner Herzog famously beseeched budding directors: "If you want to do a film, steal a camera, steal raw stock, sneak into a lab, and do it!" The point wasn't to advocate larceny, but rather to promote a DIY approach to filmmaking, finding innovative, inexpensive solutions to create art. No recent film better exemplifies this punk-rock ethos than Flow.

An international coproduction of Latvia, France, and Belgium, Flow has emerged as an unlikely Oscar contender with its dialogue-free tale of a collection of animals (centrally a cat) surviving a massive flood. While studio animated fare like Toy Story 3, Cars 2, or Tangled have seen budgets ballooning to $200 million and beyond, Flow was made for a miniscule $3.8 million. The secret to its cost-efficiency? The project was entirely crafted on Blender, a free, open-source 3D modeling software, with a team small enough to fit on a charter bus.

The...

The Academy Awards have been honoring animation since 1932 when Walt Disney began a near decade-long reign over the then-newly minted best cartoon short subject category. However, in 2001, the ceremony inaugurated the best animated feature category, beginning a now-storied tradition that has helped the medium skyrocket in popularity and prestige. Sure, some folks still sideline it as children's entertainment -- including at the ceremony itself -- but so long as based god Guillermo Del Toro proclaims it as cinema, animation will live on as such.

Thanks to the category's relative infancy, not to mention its smaller pool of competitors, the majority of the now over 100 nominees are some of the best the medium has to offer. However, not every winner is a winner, if you know what we mean. Here is our definitive ranking of every best animated feature at the Oscars, from the times the Academy got it wrong to...

Owen Wilson is taking to the golf course for the upcoming sports comedy Stick, which has received a first-look ahead of its June 4 release on Apple TV+. The streaming service is teeing the series up for a debut that will see three episodes drop at once, followed by one new episode every Wednesday until the 10th and final episode releases on July 23.

The images (seen below) reveal Wilson's character, Pryce Cahill, "an over-the-hill, ex-pro golfer" whose career "derailed prematurely 20 years ago" (per Apple TV+). In the show, he returns to the green to mentor Santi, "a troubled 17-year-old golf phenom," played by Peter Dager. According to the show's official synopsis, Cahill's mentorship role comes at a turbulent time in his life as his marriage has broken down, and he also now finds himself unemployed after being fired from his job at an Indiana sporting goods store.

In addition to Wilson and Dager,...

Sarah Hyland is 5 feet 1 inch (154.9 cm) tall and wears a US size 6 in shoes. While she’s a bit shorter than the average American woman, who stands around 5 feet 4 inches (162.5 cm), she has never let her petite stature limit her style. As she once admitted, “I wish I was taller or curvier, but I’m happy with the way I look.”

Embracing both glamour and comfort, she effortlessly balances laid-back looks with dazzling red carpet moments, even describing herself as “more laid back than glamorous” despite her love for statement fashion. Whether she’s in sky-high stilettos or classic pumps, she always knows how to rock her petite frame with confidence!

Sarah Hyland strikes a pose to look taller in a floral mini dress and Jimmy Choo heels at the 2023 Baby2Baby Gala Presented By Paul Mitchell at Pacific Design Center on November 11, 2023, in West Hollywood, California (Credit: Media Punch...

Plot: Set in a serene community inhabited by some of the world’s most prominent individuals. But this tranquility explodes when a shocking murder occurs, and a high-stakes investigation unfolds.

Review: You are not prepared for Paradise. Sure, the trailers make it out to be a somewhat run-of-the-mill political thriller about the murder of the President of the United States and his most trusted protector, who may be involved in a massive conspiracy. Still, it is so much more than that. Built as a serial drama with a fantastic ensemble cast, Paradise draws structurally from series like Lost and Yellowjackets by combining a contemporary timeline with flashbacks that fill in the gaps of how the characters got to where they are today but also manages to upend the conventions of what we expect from a series like this. Having seen the entire series (except for the finale), I have a lot of thoughts about Paradise,...

Cars 3 is the lowest-grossing entry in the series, but there is one big reason to love it. The movie fell short of any anticipated audience reception by confirming Lightning McQueen's retirement to introduce Cruz Ramirez. Yet, Cars 3 arguably has the strongest plot of all three Cars movies from Pixar. The final installment is an exceptional conclusion to the trilogy and an apt end to McQueen's character growth. Cars 2’s weaker narrative highlighted the difficulty of bringing the franchise to a satisfying conclusion in Cars 3.

The last chapter remains loyal to the roots of the Cars franchise and focuses on the rapidly changing racing industry and its indifference to the racing car — who is determined to retire on his own terms. The movie also has some remarkable visuals with a greater depth than its counterparts, which is one of the things that sets Cars 3 apart from the other two films.

Although he has now retired from acting, Michael Caine's impact on the movie industry cannot be overstated. As a working actor for the better part of eight decades, Caine became one of the most well-established actors in British history, with roles spanning from early British cinema to modern American blockbusters. Even the most casual film viewers could easily identify the actor's signature voice or might even recognize him from a leading role or one of his many supporting roles in Christopher Nolan's filmography.

With such a jam-packed career, it can be hard to gauge what films Michael Caine truly allowed to soar, and any list is bound to leave out a few of his most impactful works. Of course, not everything Caine appeared in was a cinematic masterpiece — quite the contrary. But in his best roles, Caine added a cherry on top to a phenomenal film, and in the worst instances,...

While almost all of Pixar’s movies were well-received critically, six of their outings have the unfortunate distinction of ruining the studio’s staggering streak at the Academy Awards. All of Pixar’s movies have their fans, and the studio’s output is often viewed as some of the best family animations that Hollywood has to offer. Since the studio blazed onto the scene with the 1995 blockbuster Toy Story, Pixar married smart scripts, captivating characters, and original ideas with groundbreaking animation. Not only was the studio a leader in 3D animation, but Pixar also had the quality to back up this novelty.

Related Every Upcoming Pixar Movie & TV Show

Here is every upcoming Pixar movie and TV show slated for release over the next few years, from new originals like Elio to sequels like Toy Story 5.

While Pixar’s best movies prove that the studio is capable of generating...

Cars 2 is among the worst critically-regarded Pixar movies ever, and it broke one of the studio's most impressive streaks upon release. It was no surprise that a sequel was made after the success of Cars in 2006. Five years later, Cars 2 was released to a wall of negative reviews from critics and fans alike. The movie scored 39% on Rotten Tomatoes and earned an IMDb score of 6.2/10. Not every Pixar movie can be an overwhelming critical success, but Cars 2 was particularly troubling for what it didn't do after its release.

Pixar movies have been memorable for the stories they tell and the awards they take home afterward. Ever since Toy Story in 1995, the majority of movies Pixar released have found critical success. Unlike most Pixar films though, Cars 2 did not earn any impressive accolades and even missed out on a typical honor bestowed by films from the company.

This year's D23 should have seen the return of the multiple-time Piston Cup winner, Lightning McQueen, as Disney accidentally revealed Cars 4 was once part of the event's line-up. It's been seven years since the word "Kachow!" was blasted from theater speakers in Cars 3, and like all great Disney Pixar movies, fans want more.

Thanks to an official survey on the D23 website (via @HollywoodHandle on X), fans now know that Cars 4 could be in development. The survey asked fans which project they're most looking forward to at the Disney-centric convention. Surprisingly, Cars 4 was listed among the movies. Cars 4 hasn't officially been announced by Disney or Pixar, and some audiences believed Cars 3 was the definitive end to the franchise. It is now expected that Disney will announce the fourth installment very soon to get ahead of the leak.

Cars 3, directed by Brian Fee, saw Lightning McQueen seemingly retire...

Hollywood icon Bruce Campbell discusses the one Disney movie he wishes he hadn't been killed off in - and why.

Per ScreenRant, Campbell sat down for an interview game with Variety which involved pinpointing various quotes from his films. When stumped by a quote from Cars 2, in which Campbell briefly appeared as Rod "Torque" Redline, the star said, "Now you're starting to- You'e going beyond the golden mouldies. 'I was just wearing a disguise. You guys are stuck looking like this.' That's a typical line I would say, you gotta help me on this one... That was a small little cameo, I didn't even change history with that one."

Related The 40 Best Robot Movies Of All Time, Ranked

As technology continues to advance, robots feature prominently into a growing number of film-plots of the science fiction and horror variety.

"It was a bummer that I died because those are great for residuals,...

Bruce Campbell might be known for chainsawing his way through Deadites with his trusty boom stick by his side in the long-running Evil Dead franchise, but theres one successful movie series he would have liked to have been featured more in, if for nothing else than the paycheck. Campbell starred as Ash Williams in Sam Raimis original Splatstick trilogy, and while hes mostly synonymous with the horror genre, the versatile actor also made a brief appearance in Disneys Cars 2 in 2011, voicing the character of Rod "Torque" Redline.

Campbell recently sat down for Varietys Know Their Lines? segment (seen below), reliving some of his most famous one-liners from his filmography, which encompasses a wide range of genres including horror, comedy, and family-friendly films like the Disney sequel. When it came time to utter some of Redlines famous last words ("I was just wearing a disguise. You guys are stuck looking like this.

The 2012 Pixar film Brave is considered to be somewhat of a black sheep, not just in the history of Pixar movies but also in the lineup of Disney Princesses. While technically not Pixar’s first princess character, Merida was the first outside of Disney’s own animation division to be added to their official lineup.

The movie was released at a bit of an odd time for the studio, sandwiched between two big sequels, Cars 2 (2011) and Monster’s University (2013), and making less than both. Brave was also released just before Disney hit it big with Frozen the very next year, giving Disney’s feature-animated films a lot of momentum for the rest of that decade.

Some have forgotten the film or referred to it as ‘that one Pixar princess movie’. Even 2018’s Ralph Breaks the Internet poked fun at her Scottish accent as the other princesses said rather rudely,...

While he may have survived decades of undead hordes in the Evil Dead franchise, horror legend Bruce Campbell reveals which Disney franchise he wishes he could have spent more time in before his character met its end. The actor is well-known for his role as the unlikely hero Ash Williams in frequent collaborator Sam Raimi's Evil Dead franchise. Despite his horror career, however, Campbell has made several appearances in more family-friendly affairs, from voicing characters in animated features to brief but memorable cameos in some of the most well-known superhero movies of the 2000s.

As Campbell is known for his many one-liners, Variety sat down with the actor to question whether he could pinpoint which lines came from each specific entry in his filmography in their latest YouTube video. With his third quote, Campbell was initially confused by which of his many quip-heavy characters uttered the line, only to...

Freeform is giving big Disney energy all November long with so much goodness one can’t afford to miss a night. 30 Days of Disney returns with themed weeks that make it easy to kick back and enjoy the magic of Disney with friends and family.

The programming event features a lineup of beloved films from the entire Walt Disney catalog, including Disney Animated classics like Lilo & Stitch, Aladdin, and Beauty and the Beast and Disney-Pixar titles, including a Toy Story movie marathon, Wall-e, Inside Out, and modern fan favorites Soul and Turning Red.

Disney’s most beloved musicals will have viewers singing along to favorite songs this Nov. 4-8, with films like Aladdin, Moana, Encanto, and Frozen/Frozen 2. Favorite Disney villains will take evil to new heights, and they are beloved for it. From Nov. 11-15, watch out for Ursula from The Little Mermaid, Scar from The Lion King, and...

Although 2013's Planes is considered a part of the Pixar universe, it was not actually made by the studio. Planes, which follows a crop duster whose dream is to compete in the Wings Around The Globe race, is a spinoff of the popular Cars franchise. Following the success of Planes, Planes: Fire and Rescue, was released in 2014 as a sequel. There was supposed to be a third installment in the Planes franchise as well, but it was canceled after the production studio behind the movie was closed.

Pixar has produced several movies for Disney, including the record-breaking Inside Out 2. The studio was behind developing the Cars franchise but did not produce the spinoff, Planes, despite the movies being set in the same universe. Pixar might not have been behind the production of Planes, but there are some things in the feature film that connect it to Pixar's Cars.

Planes...

Colman Domingo, recently nominated for an Academy Award for his role in the Netflix political docudrama, Rustin, is in preliminary talks to join a yet-untitled film from Steven Spielberg, Amblin and Universal. According to Deadline, a source says the Fear the Walking Dead actor could join the in-the-works film, which is based on a story by Spielberg and his collaborator David Koepp. The cast is already said to include Emily Blunt, Colin Firth and Eve Hewson.

Universal and Amblin had no comment, per Deadline, as details on the movie's plot have been kept under wraps. Although the film doesnt have a title, Universal has dated its release for May 15, 2026. The coveted summer release is something Spielberg is known for, as he released films like Jaws and Raiders of the Lost Ark in the summer, even though the filmmaker hasnt released a movie during the summer in a while.

Related Fear the Walking Dead...

Iconic filmmaker Steven Spielberg has unveiled his next feature film, Cola Wars, which has been in development at Sony Pictures under his label, Amblin Entertainment. The film follows the attempt by Pepsi to challenge Coca-Cola for the soda throne during the 1980s. Spielberg is producing the movie, while Judd Apatow, known for his work on The 40-Year-Old Virgin and Girls, is on board as director.

As Deadline reported in April 2024, Sony spent over $1 million on the project, with Jason Shuman and Ben Queen writing the pitch. While Shuman co-created the hit Apple TV series Acapulco and executive produced HBO's Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty, Queen is well-known for his scripts for Cars 2, 3, and NBC's A to Z. Since the project is still in the early stages of development, no cast members have been announced, nor has the first look been presented. However, it should...

Noting the recent trend of Ben Affleck’s “Air,” Matt Johnson’s “Blackberry,” Eva Longoria’s “Flamin’ Hot,” and, though perhaps a bit on the silly side, Jerry Seinfeld’s “Unfrosted,” there seems to be an increasing market for stories about consumer goods and marketing. Deadline announced Wednesday that the latest to get in the act are Judd Apatow and Steven Spielberg with a picture called “Cola Wars,” all about the rivalry between Coca-Cola and Pepsi.

“Cola Wars,” which Spielberg will produce and Apatow will direct, is written by Jason Shuman and Ben Queen. Shuman is best known for co-creating the series “Acapulco” on Apple TV + and was an executive producer on “Winning Time,” another nostalgia-soaked based-on-reality project about the peak years of the Los Angeles Lakers. Queen’s credits include “Cars 2” and “Cars 3.” The project is set up at Sony.

The story of “Cola Wars,” much like “Air,...

Judd Apatow directs, Steven Spielberg produces, as Sony moves ahead with Cola Wars, a movie about Coca Cola and Pepsi’s battle.

Just recently, we covered a report which looked at how Judd Apatow, the one-time king of Hollywood comedies, was struggling to get original projects off the ground. It’s been a few years since Apatow’s period as a director and ‘super-producer’, during which he shepherded lots of popular comedies through the studio system.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Sony has selected Apatow to direct Cola Wars. It’s a drama that will recount the fierce battle between industry titan Coca Cola and upstart Pepsi in the 1980s.

We first learned of the project back in February, along with the claim that Sony had paid more than a million dollars for a pitch. Not the script mind, just the pitch. Jason Shuman and Ben Queen will be drafting the screenplay.

Deadline reports that Judd Apatow has been tapped to direct Cola Wars for Sony, who shelled out $1 million in April for the pitch. The film is based on the true story of “Pepsi’s attempt to challenge Coca-Cola’s century-long reign as the world’s top cola” in the mid-1980s. Steven Spielberg is also on board and will produce the project through his Amblin Entertainment production company.

The Cola Wars brought us many memorable events, including the disastrous launch of New Coke and the Pepsi commercial that left Michael Jackson with severe burns. The film is billed as “the ultimate underdog tale of history’s most iconic second-place contender (Pepsi) vying for the No. 1 spot (Coca-Cola).” Jason Shuman (Acapulco) and Ben Queen (Cars 2) are penning the script for the project, and while it’s still in the early stages, it could be a fun flick.

Related Seth Rogen...

Brand-based movies are big business in Hollywood right about now. From Air to Blackberry, and from The Beanie Bubble to Flamin' Hot to Unfrosted, there's something about getting the inside track on the stories behind the world's biggest enterprises that studios just can't get enough of. And now, per Deadline's reporting, it looks like Steven Spielberg and Judd Apatow are the latest lining up to drink the company pic Kool-Aid — or rather sup the soda-y stuff. The cinema juggernauts are teaming up to respectively produce and direct Sony's upcoming Cola Wars, a new movie that's set to pop the can on Pepsi's efforts to dethrone Coke as the kings of cola back in the late 70s to mid 80s.

Acapulco co-creator and writer Jason Shuman is tooling up to pen Cola Wars alongside Cars 2 and 3 scribe Ben Queen, with the initial pitch for the movie having...

Exclusive: Judd Apatow has attached to direct and Steven Spielberg has come aboard to produce Cola Wars, the film in development at Sony. Spielberg will produce through his Amblin Entertainment banner.

Deadline revealed back in April that the studio bought the project for $1 million-plus as a pitch, telling the true story of Pepsi’s attempt to challenge Coca-Cola’s century-long reign as the world’s top cola. It uncapped the “Cola Wars” of the mid-1980s, which included everything from Michael Jackson’s fiery mishap to the New Coke debacle, as the ultimate underdog tale of history’s most iconic second-place contender (Pepsi) vying for the No. 1 spot (Coca-Cola).

The Cola Wars pitch is being written by Jason Shuman and Ben Queen. Shuman is the co-creator/writer of Apple’s hit show Acapulco and was executive producer on HBO’s Winning Time, and the producer of 2022’s Oscar-nominated indie To Leslie.

Pixar has earned its place as the powerhouse studio in the field of animation, and as such it has seen a lot of success, but one specific trilogy is the studios wildest movie franchise for various reasons. Pixar began its reign in animation in 1995 with Toy Story, the first entirely computer-animated feature film, which marked the beginning of years of high-quality animated movies. Toy Story continues to be Pixars biggest and most successful franchise, but it has also built other, smaller franchises.

Pixar began with a story about talking toys with feelings, and since then, it has explored other fun and unlikely scenarios, such as talking bugs, a world of monsters, rats who are exceptional chefs, and more. At the time of writing, and leaving Toy Story aside, Pixar has five franchises, some bigger than others: Monsters, Inc., Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, Cars, and Inside Out. While they all explore...

Quick Links The Latest Cars 4 News Cars 4 Is Not Confirmed Cars 4 Cast Details Cars 4 Story Details Cars 4: Further News & Info

The Cars franchise has been a huge success for Pixar, but Cars 4 still hasn't materialized despite continued demand for another sequel. The first Cars movie follows talking race car Lightning McQueen (Owen Wilson), who gets lost in a desert town on his way to a race and is forced to complete community service before he can leave. The cocky racer eventually falls in love with the small town and learns a little humility. While Cars wasn't critically acclaimed like other Pixar efforts, it was still a big success. Cars also boasted a great cast, including the legendary Paul Newman.

It's been years since the last movie, meaning anticipation for Cars 4 is high. 2017's Cars 3 was regarded as a positive shift for the franchise, an improvement on the second...

Guilty pleasure movies are often misunderstood gems that deserve more appreciation and respect. Starship Troopers, Batman Forever, and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull are underrated classics. John Carter, Cars 2, and The Lone Ranger offer unique stories and themes that challenge the conventions of their genres.

The term "guilty pleasure" is often used to describe a movie that someone can only enjoy in secret, for fear of what the wider public thinks of the movie. Often, this means that a guilty pleasure movie is one that is typically looked down upon. However, I would argue that guilty pleasure is a term that is thrown around far too often when discussing unloved movies. But what if these guilty pleasures aren't actually guilty? What if they're just actually good movies?

From the vastness of space to the dust of the Wild West, some of these so-called "guilty pleasures" are actually truly great movies.

On October 16, 2023, Disney celebrated 100 years of magic, from movies, television shows, theme parks, and an improbable corporate identity that has become beloved all on its own. Disney's most significant impact is the cinematic canon that defined the company, and as is to be expected from such an iconic company, it has gone through a lot of changes in its century-long history.

Disney has had eight distinct eras that shaped the company and altered the course of its vaunted animation. Each generation has had highs and lows some more than others but each has had its clear place in the Disney timeline. Despite facing various hardships, Disney has continued to delight fans of all ages with its timeless takes on classic fairy tales and original stories that resonate just as deeply. Every Disney fan has their favorite film and era, but some rank better than others in performance and quality.

Updated...

Doc Hudson's role had to change in the Cars universe due to Paul Newman's passing, and Disney wanted to do this in a way that honored the legendary actor and racer. Doc Hudson dies between Cars and Cars 2, leading to the Piston Cup being renamed in his honor as the Hudson Hornet Memorial Piston Cup. Unused recordings of Paul Newman allowed Doc Hudson to appear in Cars 3, mentoring Lightning McQueen in a nostalgic and respectful manner.

Doc Hudson's role in the Cars universe had to be changed after his voice actor Paul Newman passed away. One of the best characters in the original Cars and the judge of Radiator Springs, Doc Hudson is responsible for making Lightning McQueen (Owen Wilson) fix the road he destroys, and he does not appreciate the arrogant, entitled race car. Later, Lightning finds out that Doc used to be a champion racer himself,...

Inside Out 2 did not feel like a necessary addition to the Pixar canon when it was announced. Why make a sequel to one of the most original, ingenious solo outings in animation history and potentially tamper with the reputation of greatness? Money sure felt like the motivating factor, and Pixar has cashed in to the tune of nearly $1 billion and counting after two-plus weeks at the box office. But jumping inside Riley’s head of emotions for a second time was actually a courageous and rewarding payoff for fans worldwide as they were treated to one of the best sequels in Pixar’s history.

What makes a great Pixar sequel though? It’s not the first time the company has successfully returned to the same universe for another go-round, but Inside Out 2 certainly created a new blueprint for future sequel outings. Let’s look at how the movie...

Warning: Some spoilers for Inside Out 2.

Screen Rant interviews Inside Out 2 composer Andrea Datzman. Datzman shared her favorite musical contributions to the film, including the theme for Riley's Belief System and the use of her own voice in the Core Belief System. The composer also revealed that she initially tried to incorporate Morse code into the score's rhythms but ultimately decided to use her own interpretations of words like "Love," "Riley," and "Stress."

Inside Out 2 won over reviewers and became the first movie to rack up $1 billion at the box office in 2024, making the long-awaited sequel one of Pixars most successful movies of all time. Stars Amy Poehler and Phyllis Smith are back as Joy and Sadness alongside a cast of other returning and new actors including Lewis Black, Tony Hale, and Maya Hawke. Despite being released a full nine years after the original movie, Inside Out 2...

Cars 2 is the worst Pixar film, but sets up the potential for a spy spin-off series within the franchise. The introduction of espionage in Cars 2 offers a fresh perspective, but the film struggles to captivate audiences. Despite its flaws, Cars 2's spy storyline could pave the way for a reinvention of the Cars franchise.

Cars 2 is the worst Cars film in the series, but for all its flaws, it has the potential to set up the best spin-off that would follow a $7.8 billion franchise. Cars 2 is not only the worst film of all three but also possibly the worst Pixar movie ever made, ranking last of all 28 Pixar movies. While Mater is a heartwarming character, there is just too much going on for Cars 2 to captivate audiences. In general, the Cars franchise is not Pixar's best, but Cars and Cars 3 are objectively bettertwo films focusing solely on racing.

Eddie Murphy is one of the GOATs when it comes to comedy. Having starred in several comedies in his decades-long career, the actor has truly been a true comedy icon worldwide. Throughout his time in the film industry, Murphy has consistently delivered and proven his talents as a comedy genius, garnering acclaim and fame.

Eddie Murphy [Credits: David Shankbone | Wikimedia Commons]Having brought to life several characters, his role as Donkey in the Shrek franchise is one of his best ones to date. And recently, the actor revealed that a Donkey spin-off movie is in the works, making fans fear it will meet the same fate as one poorly rated Disney film.

Eddie Murphy Reveals Donkey Spin-Off Movies in the Works

Shrek and Donkey in the Shrek franchise | DreamWorks Pictures

The Shrek franchise is one of the biggest animated comedy franchises of all time and they will not be the same without Eddie Murphy‘s Donkey.

Quick Links Why Toy Story and Toy Story 2 Scored 100% on Rotten Tomatoes Toy Story Introduced a New Animation Medium Pixar's Mostly Stellar Critical Record Pixar's first movie, Toy Story, achieved a perfect 100% score due to its groundbreaking animation and heartwarming story that resonated with audiences. Toy Story 2, the world's first CGI-animated sequel, also scored 100%, proving to be a rare sequel that matched the original in quality. While Cars 2 is Pixar's only rotten title at 39%, Pixar's overall critical record remains stellar, with most movies scoring above 90% on Rotten Tomatoes.

In its 40-year history, Pixar has established itself as one of the premier destinations for animated entertainment. Several of their films are regarded as among the best of all time, with many shattering box office records. There have been a few bumps in the road, but Pixar as a whole is an animation powerhouse. Three-fourths of their movies...

When my younger brother was growing up, he went through an extreme car phase. We're talking collecting Micro Machines of every variety and cruising around in an electric kids Ride-On Jeep. What I'm saying is, when Pixar's "Cars" films proved hugely popular with younger Millennials and the first wave of Gen Z-ers starting in the '00s, I understood why. I was there, Gandalf.

Out of all of the animation powerhouse's franchises, "Cars" has always been the most contentious. The "Cars" universe itself makes no sense, which has spawned all manner of dark fan theories, including that these movies take place in a post-apocalyptic future where cars gained sentience Skynet-style and murdered all the humans. Also, the personalities of the vehicles tend to be based on broad cultural or ethnic stereotypes associated with their models. Meanwhile, their personal interests are primarily limited to racing because, again, they're all cars,...

Pixar has an esteemed track record for producing high-quality animated films and successful sequels. Cars 2 is considered one of Pixar's weakest sequels due to its departure from the original concept. Films like Cars 3, Monsters University, and Toy Story 4 improved sequels by returning to the emotional core of the original stories.

Pixar is an incredible production company when it comes to original animated films, and their track record for producing great sequels is also pretty outstanding. Pixar has an illustrious history of putting out high-quality animated films and pushing the boundaries of what's possible in computer-generated animation. In addition, the company has always had a knack for delivering stories that were packed with emotion and fun for the entire family.

Since their first feature length film, Toy Story, released in 1995, the company gained global recognition and praise. It wasn't long before they were brought into the Disney family,...

The box office needed a hero, and that hero was Pixar. The storied animation house returned to the big screen this past weekend with its first sequel since 2019 in the form of "Inside Out 2." While tracking indicated that director Kelsey Mann's film was going to be a hit, the film ended up shattering expectations to instantly become one of the biggest hits of 2024. Not to get too ahead of ourselves here, but it now has a real shot at finishing the year as one of the three highest-grossing movies globally — if not the single biggest.

"Inside Out 2" opened to an estimated $155 million domestically to go with $140 million internationally, making for a whopping $295 million global start. That makes it not only the largest global opening of 2024, but it now ranks as the biggest global opening ever for an animated film. While Pixar's "Incredibles 2" had a higher domestic...

Editor’s Note: this list was originally published in June 2023. It has since been updated to include Pixar’s latest output.

When you ask someone about their favorite Pixar film, the answer usually says less about the movie than it does about the person. The legendary animation studio has remained at the top of its game for years because of how its films use their big high-concept ideas to explore fundamental truths. A comedy about talking toys becomes a story about friendship and growing up; a kid’s movie about fish becomes an emotional tale of fatherhood; a film about a rat that likes to cook becomes a sneakily profound story about the nature of art and inspiration. The movies become very personal to each viewer, especially for those who’ve grown up with Pixar’s work and have seen its releases serve as milestones in their lives.

That said,...

Pixar has released 28 movies with memorable characters adding a touch of realism, paving their path to greatness from humble beginnings. Though Pixar has never made a terrible movie, their weakest efforts are beautifully rendered, offering enjoyment for all ages of adults and kids alike. Each Pixar movie has a special place in fans' hearts, making it difficult to rank, but a comprehensive list is available for fans to create their own favorites.

Pixar has released 28 movies in total, and the ranking of every Pixar movie may come as a surprise. From humble beginnings at Lucasfilm to being counted among the world's premier animation houses, Pixar's journey has been as difficult and inspirational as the adventures of their CG protagonists. After graduating from short films and special effects, the 1995 release of Toy Story - the world's first fully CG-animated feature film - Pixar was on the path to greatness. From there,...

Clockwise from left: Inside Out 2, Monsters, Inc., Toy Story, Wall-EImage: Disney/Pixar

Although Pixar has had its fair share of disappointments and missteps, at its height, there was no one doing it better. For nearly three decades the studio has been creating crowd-pleasing features and taking audiences into imaginative new worlds.