It looks like the wheels are turning fast on the unnecessary sequel to the solid and entertaining "Finding Nemo." Last month, Andrew Stanton found some post-"John Carter" employment as the director of the upcoming movie, and now, one of the most treasured characters from the first movie is set to return.
Ellen DeGeneres will reprise her role as the dorky goofball Dory, who drew the biggest laughs from the her short term memory loss in the original film. Of course, how she fits into the narrative this time around is being kept tightly under wraps, but here's hoping Victoria Strouse ("New Best Friend") who is penning the screenplay, has some good ideas that are more "Toy Story 2" and less "Cars 2." But here's the kicker — according to THR, "Finding Nemo 2" is being planned for a 2016 release. Wha?
Actually, it's not that surprising. Animation tends to take years, and given Pixar's focus on story (they are know for shifting gears mid-stream), it gives them a lot of time to get it right. And the studio already has a number of features in the pipeline in between, including original movies like "The Good Dinosaur," an untitled production focused on a journey inside the human mind (directed by Pete Docter) and another set around Día de los Muertos (from Lee Unkrich).
But if you need a "Finding Nemo" fix right now, just head to your local theater on September 14th for the (sigh) 3D re-release.