Animated Sequels: Fresh or Fatigued?
- JoshuaShort
- Nov 30, 2025
- 6 min read
Updated: Dec 10, 2025
Intro
Many animated movies have captured the hearts of children and adults alike over the years, creating iconic characters, fantastical worlds to escape into, and exploring subjects that humans struggle with, such as belonging, purpose, and morality.
In the past couple of years, franchises that seemed to have long ended have had further sequels announced, sparking either excitement or concern from fans (understandably so).
With The Simpsons Movie being the latest franchise to have a sequel announced (after 20 years), whilst still broadcasting new seasons of the show in the meantime, it raises the question of whether some franchises should be left in the past, or if they can create new stories of value.
Here’s a summary of some of the biggest upcoming sequels, including speculations on potential storylines, box office performances for their predecessors, and their current relevance in the world:
Toy Story 5
Release Date: June 19th, 2026
Box Office to date: $3.3 Billion
Plot:
While each movie in this franchise has taken the characters on a new emotional and geographical journey, it’s widely argued that the third movie was the perfect ending. Although the 4th entry was still loved by the majority of critics, I personally felt disappointed, feeling it lacked a spectacular set-piece (like the airport scene in Toy Story 2, or the incinerator scene in Toy Story 3).
Pixar have revealed the premise of the new entry; “this time it’s Toy meets Tech. Buzz, Woody, Jessie and the rest of the gang's jobs are challenged when they're introduced to what kids are obsessed with today....electronics!”
There has always been an underlying theme of toys being abandoned or forgotten throughout the films, and with the current generation of kids having grown up with iPads, this will certainly be a fresh and relevant entry for the franchise.
It will be interesting to see what message Pixar are attempting to get across, and if the toys will finally become redundant or find a new purpose.
Minions 3 (Currently Untitled)
Release Date: July 1st, 2026
Box Office to date: $5.62 billion (including Despicable Me movies)
Plot:
Rumours around the next instalment include a title of Minions & Monsters, claimed by an online insider account called @MyTimeToShineHello, who also adds that the plot revolves around the Minions becoming film-makers and content creators.
Whether this means that the Minions will actually encounter real monsters, or will instead be creating their own B-movie versions of Frankenstein or Dracula, is yet to be seen, but the former would likely be the more attention-grabbing for a child audience. Other plot spoilers are likely discoverable online, as the movie has been the victim of leaks from a test screening, in which someone recorded the entirety of the movie
Ice Age: Boiling Point
Release Date: February 5th, 2027
Box Office to date: $3.22 Billion
Plot:
Each film has taken the group of mismatched friends to new parts of the ancient world, battling dinosaurs and pirates, and facing the end of the world. The initial premise for the 6th entry states “the newest adventure takes the herd to visit never-before-seen corners of the treacherous Lost World!”, meaning a return to the underground land of the dinosaurs from the 3rd film.
The subtitle 'Boiling Point' shares a similarity with the previous 'Meltdown' entry, implying the world is heating up, so hopefully, there will be enough in this film to differentiate it from the others.
With more recent outings in the franchise gathering negative reviews (Ice Age: Collision Course and The Adventures of Buck Wild), and the box office performance of the former earning less than half of the 4th instalment, it does beg the question of whether there is still an audience for this franchise, even if it has been hugely profitable.
Shrek 5
Release Date: June 2027
Box Office to date: $4.02 Billion
Plot:
A teaser was released in February, revealing Zendaya to be joining the cast as Shrek’s daughter with a release date of Christmas 2026, but the movie was later delayed. This may well be due to the audience backlash to the altered animation style in the teaser, which showed hugely different designs in the characters' looks from the previous 4 movies.
One rumour, again from @MyTimeToShineHello, states that the plot will centre on Shrek and Fiona’s daughter using magic to transport the group into the real world, prompting them to find a way home. This was recently expanded on, adding that in the real world, Lord Farquad (from the first Shrek) is running a theme park, with the main theme being Shrek himself…
This seems like an unlikely and strange route to take, and another rumour from the same insider states that this will be a Multiverse film, having posted about this on X in February 2025.
Whatever the plot, Shrek 5 is certainly one of the most anticipated franchise revivals, and with it reigning as the 2nd highest-grossing animated franchise of all time, it would be fair to anticipate a colossal turnout from fans when it’s finally released.
The Simpsons 2 (Currently Untitled)
Release Date: July 23rd, 2027
Box Office to date: $536.4 million
Plot:
The first movie focused on an environmental crisis which Homer accidentally caused in Springfield, so it wouldn’t be a surprise for the next movie to tackle another world-relevant topic. With the show experiencing lower viewership and declining quality for many years now, this sequel needs to deliver a grand idea that can place the Simpson family into uncharted territory, as well as generate enough interest in the general public after 20 years since the first movie.
With the world of politics becoming almost farcical, I would guess a plot involving something like Homer becoming President, highlighting someone unexpected and unqualified taking on one of the most important roles in the world.
Or if they would like to go down a different route, maybe a time-jump scenario showing the family in their latter years, and how their dynamics have changed; season 36 actually had a flashforward episode for its finale, set 35 years in the future, where Marge has passed away, so this wouldn’t be uncommon.
Whatever direction producers have decided on, I for one am enthused for the new entry, despite not watching the show myself, but whether the same sentiment is shared by those who watched the first film is another question...
Frozen 3
Release Date: November 24th, 2027
Box Office to date: $2.72 billion
Plot:
Not much is known about the next entry in the hugely popular franchise, which has managed to nearly surpass other franchises on this list with only 2 movies.
Jennifer Lee, co-director of the previous movies, said "there were a lot of questions coming out of Frozen 2… it will take two films to answer them", and with concept art for the movie showing the 2 sisters, Anna and Elsa, riding horses with Olaf, the only hints are that they are on a journey to some kind of new land ahead, whilst being pursued by a devilish-looking figure in the shadows behind.
Inevitably, this franchise is bound to maintain momentum after the sequel surpassed the predecessor's box office performance, and with other similar Disney Princess properties such as Moana and Moana 2 showing the same upward trend in earnings, it's clear that the genre still has a strong pulse.
Incredibles 3
Release Date: November 24th, 2027
Box Office to date: $2.72 billion
Plot:
With the second movie picking up immediately after the first movie's events, and both having quite similar storylines (each parent taking the limelight on their own missions), it would make sense for the focus to shift to the children in the third entry, perhaps showing them as adolescents/adults, dealing with their powers, especially Jack-Jack.
However, the reason director Brad Bird didn't take this route in Incredibles 2 was "I thought about aging everybody the way everybody does, and then I thought, 'No, that sucks' (quote from 2018), and with him returning to write the 3rd movie, this could mean a similar setup, which could be disappointing for fans who would like to see new dynamics between the family unit.
The sequel nearly doubled the first movie's box office takings, despite a 14-year gap between the movies, and with the 3rd coming 10 years after the last, likely, there will still be an appetite for Pixar's superhero family.
Wrap-Up
With so many sequels coming, there is certainly a lot to look forward to for fans of these beloved franchises; adults who have grown up with movies such as Toy Story are sure to attend the cinematic releases well into their thirties, while new generations of children will be introduced to the franchises by their parents, creating a new cycle of fans who will fuel the additional 7th, 8th, 9th (etc.) sequels for years to come.
Are you looking forward to any of these sequels? Let us know your thoughts!
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