Pixar’s theatrical release plans have been a bit mysterious over the past few years, but chief creative officer Pete Docter has just confirmed the studio’s strategy going forward. Although most of Pixar’s movies have been released theatrically, several films in the early 2020s went straight to streaming, with Soul, Luca, and Turning Red all releasing first on Disney+. However, Pixar seems to have moved away from this strategy with the theatrical release of movies like Lightyear, Elemental, Inside Out 2, and Elio.

As part of an exclusive presentation that ScreenRant attended in New York City earlier this month along with other media outlets, ScreenRant’s Liam Crowley got a chance to interview Pete Docter. There, Docter said that theatrical releases were the future for Pixar. He explained that streaming releases have boosted interest after theatrical releases. Thus, Pixar has decided to pivot away from their straight to Disney+ model. Here are Pete Docter’s full comments:

Well, I think the world will probably continue to evolve regardless, but for right now, that is the plan that they’ve come out theatrically so far. What we found is the interest in the theater kind of translates to even more interest on Disney Plus, and that may be unique to the Disney Pixar environment. I’m not sure if other streaming houses find that, but it’s worked really well for us. So theatrical is where they’re all going first.

What A Theatrical Future Means For Pixar

Will It Hurt Original Movies?

Pixar’s theatrical future is mostly a good thing, as it will allow each of the studio’s films to feel like a bigger deal. Although it isn’t objectively provable, it definitely feels like movies that are released straight to streaming have a lessened cultural impact when compared to their theatrical counterparts. This problem will be avoided with theatrical releases, giving each Pixar movie more time to breathe.

However, this could also spell trouble for Pixar’s original projects. While sequels to movies like Inside Out, Toy Story, and The Incredibles are surefire successes, the same can’t be said for their non-franchise movies. Giving a movie a theatrical release costs a lot more, making risky projects even riskier. Elemental already had a poor box office, and if upcoming Pixar movies like Elio, Hoppers, and Catto suffer the same fate, Pixar may move even further away from original projects.

Our Take On Pixar’s Move Away From Disney+

Pixar Movies Are Fully Back On The Big Screen

While it is nice to have new Pixar movies included with a Disney+ subscription, it never seemed like a feasible business model. I also prefer to see movies on the big screen, making Soul, Luca, and Turning Red feel a little less grand upon their releases. So, the news that Pixar has fully shifted back to theatrical releases is exciting, spelling out a promising future for the studio.