50 Fun Facts About Pixar

What is the name of the cowboy doll in Toy Story?

Woody, voiced by Tom Hanks, is the cowboy doll and main protagonist of the Toy Story franchise. He is Andy's favorite toy and the leader of the toy group.

Which Pixar film features a clownfish searching for his lost son?

Finding Nemo (2003) follows Marlin, a clownfish, as he travels across the ocean to find his son Nemo, who has been captured by a scuba diver and placed in a fish tank in Sydney.

In Monsters, Inc., what do the monsters collect from children to power their city?

In Monsters, Inc. (2001), the monsters of Monstropolis use children's screams as their primary energy source. The entire economy revolves around scaring children, though they later discover laughter is ten times more powerful.

What type of animal is Remy in Ratatouille?

Remy is a rat with an extraordinary sense of taste and smell who dreams of becoming a chef in Paris. The film's title is a play on the French dish ratatouille and the word 'rat.'

Which Pixar movie begins with a montage showing a couple's entire life together?

Up (2009) opens with a famous four-minute montage depicting Carl and Ellie's life together, from childhood to old age, widely regarded as one of the most emotional sequences in animation history.

In Inside Out, what are the five main emotions inside Riley's head?

The five core emotions in the original Inside Out (2015) are Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear, and Disgust. Inside Out 2 (2024) later introduced additional emotions including Anxiety, Envy, Ennui, and Embarrassment.

What does WALL-E stand for?

WALL-E stands for Waste Allocation Load Lifter: Earth-class. He is the last functioning trash-compacting robot left on a polluted, abandoned Earth in the year 2805.

Which Pixar movie is set in the Land of the Dead during Dia de los Muertos?

Coco (2017) follows Miguel, a young Mexican boy who accidentally enters the Land of the Dead during Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) and seeks the help of his deceased musician great-great-grandfather.

What is Lightning McQueen's catchphrase in Cars?

Lightning McQueen's signature catchphrase is 'Ka-chow!' which he exclaims while flashing his headlights. It became one of the most iconic catchphrases in Pixar history.

Who voices Buzz Lightyear in the Toy Story films?

Tim Allen voiced Buzz Lightyear in all four mainline Toy Story films (1995-2019). Chris Evans voiced a different version of the character in the 2022 spin-off film Lightyear.

What was the first feature-length film produced by Pixar?

Toy Story (1995) was Pixar's first feature film and the first entirely computer-animated feature film ever made. It was a groundbreaking achievement in cinema history.

In Finding Nemo, what is Dory's most notable trait?

Dory, voiced by Ellen DeGeneres, suffers from short-term memory loss. Despite this handicap, she becomes Marlin's most important companion on his journey to find Nemo. Her condition was explored further in Finding Dory (2016).

What is the name of the purple stuffed octopus in Toy Story 3?

Stretch is the purple rubber octopus at Sunnyside Daycare in Toy Story 3. She is initially one of Lotso's enforcers but later reforms when Lotso's true nature is revealed.

Which actor voices the character of Sulley in Monsters, Inc.?

John Goodman voices James P. 'Sulley' Sullivan, the large blue-and-purple-spotted monster. Billy Crystal voices his partner and best friend Mike Wazowski.

What song does Miguel perform at the talent show in Coco?

Miguel performs 'Un Poco Loco' at the talent show in the Land of the Dead alongside Hector. 'Remember Me' is the film's central song, written by Ernesto de la Cruz (and actually by Hector).

In Ratatouille, what is the name of the restaurant where Remy secretly cooks?

Gusteau's is the Parisian restaurant founded by the late Chef Auguste Gusteau, whose motto was 'Anyone can cook.' After Gusteau's death, the restaurant lost one of its five stars, and Remy helps restore its reputation.

What year was Pixar Animation Studios founded?

Pixar was established in 1986 when Steve Jobs purchased the computer graphics division of Lucasfilm for $5 million and incorporated it as an independent company. It was originally part of Lucasfilm's computer division, which started in 1979.

Which Pixar short film features an old man playing chess against himself?

Geri's Game (1997) is a Pixar short film about an elderly man named Geri who plays a fierce game of chess against himself in the park. It won the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film.

What is the significance of the code 'A113' in Pixar films?

A113 refers to a classroom at the California Institute of the Arts (CalArts) where many Pixar and Disney animators studied, including John Lasseter, Brad Bird, and Pete Docter. It appears as an Easter egg in nearly every Pixar film.

Which Pixar film won the first-ever Academy Award for Best Animated Feature?

Finding Nemo won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature in 2004 (for films released in 2003). However, the first-ever Best Animated Feature Oscar was actually awarded in 2002 to Shrek, not a Pixar film. Finding Nemo was Pixar's first win in this category.

Which famous tech mogul purchased Pixar from Lucasfilm in 1986?

Steve Jobs bought The Graphics Group (later renamed Pixar) from Lucasfilm in 1986 for $5 million. He funded the company through its early years and served as its majority shareholder until Disney acquired Pixar in 2006 for $7.4 billion.

What are the names of the two main element characters in Elemental?

Ember Lumen (a fire element) and Wade Ripple (a water element) are the two main characters in Elemental (2023). The film explores their unlikely relationship in Element City, where different elements live together.

In Soul, what is Joe Gardner's dream profession?

Joe Gardner, voiced by Jamie Foxx, is a middle school band teacher whose lifelong dream is to be a professional jazz pianist. After getting his big break to play with the Dorothea Williams Quartet, he falls into a manhole and ends up in the afterlife.

What is the name of Pixar's rendering software that revolutionized CGI?

RenderMan is Pixar's proprietary rendering software, originally developed in the 1980s. It has been used in nearly every Pixar film and has also been licensed to other studios. It won multiple Academy Awards for Technical Achievement.

Which Pixar short film, featuring a desk lamp and rubber ball, became the studio's mascot?

Luxo Jr. (1986) features a large desk lamp (Luxo Sr.) and a smaller desk lamp (Luxo Jr.) playing with a rubber ball. The short was so iconic that the Luxo Jr. lamp became Pixar's official mascot and appears in the studio's logo animation.

What recurring vehicle appears as an Easter egg in almost every Pixar film?

The Pizza Planet truck, a yellow Toyota pickup truck first seen in Toy Story (1995), appears as an Easter egg in nearly every Pixar film. It has been spotted in every Pixar movie except The Incredibles, though some appearances are extremely subtle.

In Brave, what does Merida's mother Queen Elinor get turned into?

Queen Elinor is transformed into a bear after Merida gets a spell from a witch to 'change her mother.' Merida must find a way to reverse the spell before the change becomes permanent at the second sunrise.

Which Pixar movie was the first to gross over $1 billion at the worldwide box office?

Toy Story 3 (2010) was the first Pixar film to cross the $1 billion mark at the worldwide box office, earning approximately $1.067 billion. It was also the first animated film to reach this milestone after only Shrek 2 and Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs came close.

What is the name of the food critic who writes a review at the end of Ratatouille?

Anton Ego is the feared food critic whose review can make or break a restaurant. After tasting Remy's ratatouille, which reminds him of his mother's cooking, he writes a glowing review that is considered one of the most beautiful monologues in Pixar history.

Who directed both Toy Story and Toy Story 2?

John Lasseter directed both Toy Story (1995) and Toy Story 2 (1999). He was one of Pixar's co-founders and served as the studio's chief creative officer until his departure in 2018.

How much did Disney pay to acquire Pixar in 2006?

The Walt Disney Company acquired Pixar Animation Studios on May 5, 2006, for approximately $7.4 billion in an all-stock deal. This made Steve Jobs the largest individual shareholder in Disney at the time.

What is the name of the Pixar Theory, and what does it propose?

The Pixar Theory, popularized by Jon Negroni in 2013, proposes that all Pixar films exist within a shared universe and take place along a single timeline, from Brave in the medieval era to Monsters, Inc. in the far future, connected by Easter eggs and recurring elements.

What was the name of the Pixar short film that preceded Finding Nemo in theaters?

Knick Knack (1989, re-released 2003) was the Pixar short shown before Finding Nemo in theaters. It follows a snowman trapped in a snow globe trying to escape to join the other travel souvenirs at a party. The short was originally made in 1989 but was updated for the theatrical re-release.

Which Pixar short film about a Chinese-Canadian mother and a dumpling won the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film?

Bao (2018), directed by Domee Shi, tells the story of a Chinese-Canadian mother whose homemade dumpling comes to life and becomes her companion. It won the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film. Domee Shi later directed the feature film Turning Red.

What is the name of the toy that Pixar's first Academy Award-winning short film (Tin Toy) features?

Tin Toy (1988) features Tinny, a one-man-band tin toy who tries to escape from a drooling baby named Billy. It won the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film and was the original inspiration for what eventually became Toy Story.

Which Pixar film holds the record for the longest gap between an original film and its sequel?

Incredibles 2 (2018) came 14 years after The Incredibles (2004), making it the longest gap between a Pixar original and its sequel. Despite the wait, it became a massive hit, earning over $1.2 billion worldwide.

What is the Luxo Ball, and where did it first appear?

The Luxo Ball is a yellow ball with a blue stripe and a red star that first appeared in the 1986 short Luxo Jr. It has become one of Pixar's most recognizable recurring Easter eggs, appearing in numerous Pixar films including Toy Story, Finding Nemo, and The Incredibles.

Which Pixar film was almost entirely scrapped and restarted just 9 months before its release date?

Toy Story 2 was originally planned as a direct-to-video sequel. When the initial story was deemed not good enough, the entire film was essentially remade in just 9 months. The crunch was so intense that one animator developed carpal tunnel syndrome and another forgot their baby in a hot car.

Who directed WALL-E and also directed Finding Nemo?

Andrew Stanton directed both Finding Nemo (2003) and WALL-E (2008). Both films won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. Stanton also co-wrote all four Toy Story films and wrote A Bug's Life.

In Toy Story, what is the name of Sid's dog?

Scud is Sid Phillips' aggressive bull terrier in Toy Story. He terrorizes the toys and chases Woody and Buzz during their escape from Sid's house. The dog was animated using early techniques for rendering fur and animal movement.

What was Pixar's lowest-grossing theatrical release?

The Good Dinosaur (2015) is Pixar's lowest-grossing film theatrically, earning approximately $332 million worldwide against a production budget of $175-200 million. It was the first Pixar film widely considered a box office disappointment.

Which two Pixar co-founders won the ACM A.M. Turing Award in 2019?

Ed Catmull (Pixar co-founder and former president) and Pat Hanrahan (founding employee and Stanford professor) won the 2019 Turing Award for their fundamental contributions to 3D computer graphics, including the development of RenderMan.

What famous line does the Toy Story franchise use as its emotional thesis, spoken by Woody in the first film?

While 'To infinity and beyond!' is the most famous catchphrase, Woody's line about a toy's purpose — being there for its child — is the emotional thesis of the entire franchise, echoed through all four films as Woody navigates his relationship with Andy and eventually Bonnie.

What is the name of the villain in Toy Story 2 who steals Woody?

Al McWhiggin, also known as 'Al of Al's Toy Barn,' is the greedy toy collector who steals Woody in Toy Story 2 because Woody is a valuable vintage collectible from a 1950s TV show called Woody's Roundup.

Which Pixar film features a superhero family fighting a villain named Syndrome?

The Incredibles (2004) follows the Parr family, a family of superheroes forced into hiding, who must come together to fight Syndrome, a former fan of Mr. Incredible turned villainous tech genius.

In Up, how many balloons does Carl use to lift his house?

Pixar's technical team calculated that it would take approximately 20,622 balloons to lift Carl's house. In the film, they actually rendered about 10,297 balloons for the most detailed shots, though the story suggests even more.

In The Incredibles, what is Edna Mode's famous rule about superhero costumes?

Edna Mode's most iconic line is 'No capes!' She demonstrates the dangers of capes by showing Bob Parr a series of superheroes who met their demise because of cape-related accidents, including Stratogale and Thunderhead.

What is the name of the imaginary friend who sacrifices himself in Inside Out?

Bing Bong is Riley's childhood imaginary friend who sacrifices himself by jumping off the rocket wagon in the Memory Dump so Joy can escape. His farewell line, 'Take her to the moon for me, okay?' is one of Pixar's most heartbreaking moments.

Which Pixar film features two teenage elf brothers on a quest to bring their father back for one day?

Onward (2020) follows Ian and Barley Lightfoot, two elf brothers in a suburban fantasy world, who receive a magical staff that can bring their deceased father back for 24 hours. When the spell only brings back his lower half, they embark on a quest to complete it.

In WALL-E, what is the name of the spaceship where humanity lives?

The Axiom is the enormous spaceship operated by Buy n Large (BnL) where humans have lived for 700 years after Earth became too polluted. Its passengers have become obese and completely dependent on robots for all their needs.