‘Finding Dory’ To Have A Sequel Focusing On Hank The Octopus’ Missing Tentacle?

Disney Pixar’s Finding Dory certainly exceeded expectations with its stellar box office earnings. The sequel even managed to surpass Finding Nemo‘s record in Pixar’s library of top animated films. Just like its predecessor, the film featuring the beloved blue tang fish received critical acclaim.

Since Finding Dory sheds light to an entire school of new and wonderful characters, does it mean that Pixar will consider more spin-offs in the future? Who among Dory’s friends will get the spotlight?

While Pixar remains hush about this, Hank is probably the obvious choice for a follow-up film. He appears to be suited for a spin-off as he is Dory’s primary sidekick in the latest film, just like Dory’s role in Finding Nemo.

It is interesting to note as well that Hank has a missing arm. Pixar might not create a Finding Arm movie because octopi are known to be capable of growing back their tentacles. However, what is stopping Hank from regrowing his arm? What was life for him before the Marine Life Institute?

Unfortunately, Disney Pixar might not take the risk for Finding Hank because the animation studio already wants to focus on creating new stories starting in 2019.

In a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, president Jim Morris revealed the new direction they’d take after the completion of Toy Story 4 and The Incredibles 2.

“Most studios jump on doing a sequel as soon as they have a successful film, but our business model is a filmmaker model, and we don’t make a sequel unless the director of the original film has an idea that they like and are willing to go forward on.”

He also quashed the wishes of Ratatouille, Inside Out, and WALL-E fans for sequels.

“Pete Docter (Up, Inside Out) has an original idea for his next film. Brad Bird, being the director of Ratatouille, is working on The Incredibles and we haven’t really spoken about [a sequel to] that. And WALL-E is close to my heart… but that was really a love story that had its beginning, middle, and end, so we’re not really planning any further stories in those worlds at this point.”

Nonetheless, Morris said that two movies with brand new stories will come out in 2020. Apart from these, two more projects are in the pipeline “which will be set in unusual but believable worlds that take us in even other directions than we’ve pursued in the past.”

He added that “anything’s possible.” After all, 13 years passed before Finding Nemo got its sequel.

Although Illumination Entertainment/Universal’s The Secret Life of Pets is now topping the box office, Finding Dory remains Disney’s highest-grossing animated film ($423 million) beating both The Lion King($422.78 million) and Toy Story 3($415 million).

Despite the phenomenal success of Finding Dory, the people behind the sequel remind fans not to have Dory in their aquariums. Marine experts are worried that the demand for blue tang fish will increase because of the film – a trend that took place following the release of Finding Nemo in 2003.

The voice of your favourite blue tang fish has offically arrived on the blue carpet! @TheEllenShow pic.twitter.com/uNgft3A13J

— Disney UK (@Disney_UK) July 10, 2016

Finding Dory’s lead star, Ellen DeGeneres, previously told Yahoo! Movies that moviegoers should learn something from Dory’s story.

“I think that fish should be in the ocean. It’s what this whole sequel is about: It’s about rehabilitation and putting them back in the ocean. And we have to protect our oceans. Hopefully that discussion starts with this film, because we really need to protect that environment.”

Even if Dory is cheerful and resilient in the film, it is proven that blue tangs do not thrive in real-life tanks.

[Image via Disney-Pixar]