Intriguing News, 'Finding Dory' Fans!

Get excited, Pixar fans, because Finding Dory hasn’t even been released yet, but already the chatter about more Dory films is starting to increase in urgency. On Wednesday night, before the world premiere of Finding Dory, Ellen DeGeneres said she’d be more than happy to do a Finding Dory sequel. In fact, in response to the question or whether or not she would be interested in starring in a sequel, the star said exclusively to Variety, “Oh yeah, that’d be great.” So you can imagine how much DeGeneres’ response delighted fans, because the news that she would down for more Dory movies laid out a whole lot of hope for sequel. And there should definitely be a Finding Dory sequel. If I had my way, there would be an endless supply of them. A new movie every few years that would follow-up and continue on from where Dory last left off. But beyond my personal preferences for as much Dory as the world can handle, there are a lot of things about Finding Dory that lend itself perfectly to a sequel.

And the first thing, of course, is Dory. In any good story, you need a protagonist that the audience can root for. There really isn’t much that one couldn’t love about and root for in Dory. She’s an endearingly flawed heroine — she has no short-term memory, after all — and it is impossible not to love her. At her heart she is eager to make friends, help others out, and make the most fun out of any adventure. Really, she’s one of the most perfect protagonists that Pixar has ever created. It’s impossible not to fall in love with her, and I’m hoping Pixar feels compelled to maximize on this character for years to come.

But there are other things that make this movie worthy of a sequel. In the description for the film (which comes out on June 17) Dory, the forgetful fish, learns all about the true meaning of family. That sounds like a wonderful lesson and all, but if we get to the end of the film and Dory has found her family and/or created one for herself, that begs the question: What happens to Dory next? Seeing her strike out on her own with a whole new support system would make a great storyline for a sequel. Not to mention, there is an entire world to explore under the sea in sequels to come. For a fish that often loses her memory and her way, there is an almost endless playground for Dory to explore and create in future movies to come.

So I’m with DeGeneres on this one. I want more Finding Dory movies, and I want them now.

Image: Walt Disney Pictures; Pixar