Will There Be A 'Finding Nemo 3'?

We live in a time where Hollywood's case of sequelitis is at a fever pitch. The quick rate at which films with a "2", "3" or even "8" attached to them are getting the green light has caused a bit of a backlash amongst moviegoers. This case of sequel backlash is (no surprise) a bit different with the juggernaut that is Pixar. The studio's been met with wholly positive responses to their films, spurring the studio to put more sequels —like The Incredibles 2 and Toy Story 4 — into production in the ensuing months and years. Let me take a moment and say this is ridiculously exciting. The thought of more Pixar magic in this world is just too much to handle. So, while we try to hold ourselves together for the impending Pixar avalanche to pile on us, I've been left wondering if a certain sequel involving a certain band of fish with be returning yet again to the big screen. In short: Are we getting a Finding Nemo 3 anytime soon?

The answer is, surprisingly, still murky. In an statement to EW, Finding Dory director Andrew Stanton was vague as to whether he would like to keep the Nemo train going.

"Now, I've stopped saying never for anything because there are a lot of new characters that get introduced and we've broadened the universe for this movie. And again, I’m very used to seeing that world continue to open up from the Toy Story movies… so I’ve learned to just say, to my knowledge, I think everything that was born of the first movie is wrapped up. But we’ll see."

Stanton's admittedly coy stance does make sense, however frustrating it may be. Despite the continually high box office numbers Dory' s racking up, the conservative apprehension at tackling another sequel for Nemo is reasonable. While pursuing Dory's story was, as Stanton notes, a natural thread for the sequel, what could a third Nemo film possibly be about? The options are equally scarce and endless. Does the expanded Nemo universe necessitate a third film? If so, my vote is for Dory and Nemo going to find a new love interest for Marlin.

Whatever plans Stanton and Pixar may have, I think we should all start chanting to the Pixar gods right now ("Sharkbait, oh ha ha..."). Why? Well, it would gel nicely with Pixar's roster of sequels and there are more story options on the table. The expansion of the Nemo universe equals opportunity. Most importantly, there are literally zero complaints to the existence of more Pixar films. Why don't we just keep swimming towards a (probably excellent) third film?

Images: Pixar; Giphy