The Pixar theory, a fan theory authored by John Negroni that connects all the Pixar films into one coherent timeline. Even though Pixar has been acquired by Disney becoming Disney Pixar, the theory is still going strong. Starting with “The Good Dinosaur” and ending with “Monsters, Inc.” It explains the existence of magic, intelligent animals, and talking cars all interconnected to one universe. 

Starting with “The Good Dinosaur,” it set the stage for the Pixar Cinematic Universe (PCU). We see an alternate history for Earth, the asteroid misses, leaving dinosaurs to advance into intelligent beings, with farming systems and the like. Nevertheless, the dinosaurs are struggling in a world that humans are rising in. 

Next is “Brave,” Merida discovers ‘the-will-of-the-wisps.’ The magic turns her mother into a bear. This magic is why animals and inanimate objects, the brooms and tools in the witch’s cabin, behave like humans or as though they have emotions. Which was then utilized by the witch, who is able to seemingly vanish through doors. 

There are two progressions within this universe: the progression of the animals and the progression of artificial intelligence (A.I.). 

Jumping forward to the 1950s/1960s, “The Incredibles,”  which establishes two important things within the PCU, machines adapting and Zero Point Energy. As we know Buddy or Syndrome, creates technology to enact revenge on Mr. Incredible: the omnidroid, an A.I. that is meant to kill superheros by learning their moves and adapting. Zero Point Energy, what Syndrome’s lasers are powered by, this is the electromagnetic energy that exists in a vacuum. It is the unseen energy we find in wavelengths and how toys and objects in the Pixar world draw power. 

The A.I. and Zero Point Energy expanded across the world to make the faceless corporation Buy n’ Large (BNL). 

Immediately following “The Incredibles” is “Incredibles 2.” We see both the rise in technology as well as the rise in major corporations, like the telecommunications company owned by Winston Deavor. 

In the same time period, we have “Luca,” a coming-of-age story about two Italian sea monsters; when Luca travels to the surface and meets Alberto, he discovers that sea monsters transform into humans on dry land. “Monsters, Inc” establishes the fact that monsters exiled from Monstropolis are sent to live among the humans, those monsters similar to those in “Luca,” are afraid of humans and hide in plain sight. 

“Toy Story,” inanimate objects or toys come to life. Set in the 90s, we see toys both coming to life and turning against humans: Sid’s toys when they stand up against him. BNL has had around 40-50 years to develop A.I. since “The Incredibles,” during this time BNL is extracting human energy through toys. Which are power conduits as they are unknowingly feeding off human emotion that consequently become sentient beings. It is also made clear that when they are forgotten or put away in ‘storage’ they lose all life. 

Following “Toy Story,” there is “Toy Story 2,” this is where we start to see toys resenting humans, for example Jessie resents her owner, Emily, for abandoning her. 

About ten years later we have, “Turning Red,” the newest Pixar movie set in 2002. Meilin ‘Mei’ Lee, finds herself with the body of a gigantic red panda, which she will turn into whenever she gets too emotional. Similar to “Luca,” this connects the concept of humans and monsters transforming. We also can infer that based on the reaction of the public, that magic and or super powered humans already existed within their world. 

Next up there is “Finding Nemo,” set just after the events in the first two “Toy Story” films. This film shows sea creatures with similar intelligence to the toys and the dinosaurs, with communication, school systems and shops. We also see that the fish held in captivity, have the same resentment of humans neglected toys do. In “Luca,” over 50 years ago the fish did not yet have intelligence while the sea monsters do, so we are able to see the progression of the sea animals intelligence. 

Piggybacking off of “Finding Nemo” is “Finding Dory,” which reveals Dory’s origins. Dory, who was raised in proximity to humans, gains the abilities to read and speak different languages. Suggesting that the closer proximity to humans they are, the smarter they become, which is why Hank who has attempted to stay at the Marine Life Institute was able to drive. 

“Ratatouille,” Remy the rat tries to do something only humans explicitly do: cook. He, like the other rats who live in close proximity to humans, has gained intelligence. While the other rats are angry and fearful of humans, Remy proves that it is possible for animals to do things that are primarily dominated by humans. 

Back to the “Toy Story” films, there exists “Toy Story 3.” 11 years after the original, this movie shows a clear connection with the toys and the company BNL. Appearing on Buzz ‘Buzz’ Lightyear’s batteries is the logo for the super corporation, Lots-o’-Huggin’ Bear, like many hated people in this movie. There are also hints, like Darla from “Finding Nemo” appearing in a magazine. 

“Toy Story 4,” answers the question of how toys come to life, human emotion or love. We see this through Forky and Woody: Forky being made from scraps comes to life through Bonnie’s love. Woody who gains a conscience or inner voice through Andy’s powerful love/connection. 

For the progression of animals, technology, and the introduction to the overwhelming presence BNL has on the PCU, we have “Up.” In the case of the progression of animals we have Dug and the rest of the dogs in Charles Muntz experiments. Animals with the help of technology gain the ability to communicate with humans. These animals are also turning against the humans who are polluting the Earth in a form of rapid expansion. In the beginning of the movie Carl is forced to give up his house to a corporation because they are expanding the city. What expanding corporation that may or may not be leading to the pollution of the Earth you may ask? BNL. 

After “Up,” we have movies set in the modern day starting with, “Inside Out.” It follows Riley and the five personified emotions within Riley’s head. Joy, Anger, Fear, Disgust, and Sadness, the first and most arguably most powerful emotion is Joy– hinting at why monsters prefer to harvest happiness. This is where we also see how powerful memory is, similar to the shelf life of the forgotten toys, Riley’s ‘imaginary friend’ Bing Bong only ‘dies’ once he is forgotten.  Bing Bong is also believed to be Riley’s monster that comes to make her laugh and harvest her happiness. 

“Coco,” reinforces human emotion and second death upon being forgotten. This is why they put their family members on the ofrenda (altar), so that on Dia de lo Muertos (Day of the dead), they can return to the land of the living. However, while in the Land of the Dead if they are forgotten they will disappear or die again, hence second death. 

The last of the released movies set in modern times, “Soul” focuses on life before and after death, showcasing the great beyond. This is another big connection to the PCU especially in the pre-life souls like 22. These souls enter the bodies of an entity on Earth like the animals, like Joe did; which explains how rats like Remy and cars could have souls. 

Thanks to information given to us by “Wall-E,” while it is not the next movie it sets up the premise of it. “Wall-E” tells us that since the world has become extremely polluted by the technological outreach of BNL, humans are forced to leave the planet via the axiom. Since humans and animals are unable to survive on Earth, who takes over?

“Cars 1, 2, and 3” show life on as the machines have taken over. Without humans, the cars or A.I. technology now has minds/emotions/souls of their own, in other words they are sentient beings without the fear of being forgotten like the toys. However, in the later movies we learn it is possible for the cars to die, and in “Cars 3” there is still organic life, i.e. the crab, sea life who would survive the Earth being polluted on the beach. Dinoco’s progression from simple gas station to oil company is shown as we spot Dinoco in “Toy Story.”

Now we officially bring in “Wall-E,” it is 2800 and all the cars have died out, Wall-E the last cleaning robot, who has the emotions to be able to fall in love with Eve. They work together to make Earth habitable again, as the human race is taken control of on the axiom by the super corporation BNL. At the end of the movie we see a small portion of humans return to Earth. 

Which leads into “A Bug’s Life,” about a century after the humans return, only a small amount of bugs and animals survived the pollution. Which is why they are still intelligent despite the fact all of the humans left, these bugs are significantly different from the animals introduced in the universe. While Remy, the fish, and the dogs were becoming more human like they had not yet advanced to the level the bugs achieved. The bugs had cities, bars, advertisement, machines and a traveling circus; since the humans had just begun to repopulate the Earth it is not revolved around humans like the other animals. 

Then we have “Onward,” earlier it was stated only a small portion of humans returned to Earth. Begging the question, where did the rest go? If the spaceship’s orders were never to return to Earth, there must have been some that landed elsewhere right? Based on the number of moons, it is safe to assume that “Onward” takes place on another planet. If so, why does the planet, even though they have magic, evolve the same way Earth does with science and technology? It is likely one of the axioms crash landed on their planet the magical creatures then learned from the technology on the ship and evolved as such.

Now completing the circle we have “Monsters University” and “Monsters, Inc.,” in the very distant future monsters come through the closet to scare human children and harvest their emotions or memory for energy. It is theorized that these monsters are the miniscule amount of the humans we never see in “A Bug’s Life.” Thanks to “Luca,” “Turning Red,” and “Brave,” we see that humans can transform into animals or monsters. At some point the humans died out and all that remained were monsters. However, without people Monstroplis faces an energy shortage. Thus using door magic, similar to the witch in “Brave,” they travel back in time to scare children and harvest the energy from their screams. From the clues located in the children’s rooms, we can infer the monsters are time traveling. Many children, like Boo, have a poster for the newly opened Tomorrowland, a Luxo ball, and a Jessie doll. However, since the timeline they are traveling back to moves parallel to their timeline they only have so much time before humans leave the Earth again, which is why Waternoose is trying to kidnap children: enter Boo. 

The major twist or plot point in the Pixar theory revolves around Boo. With Boo being the witch from “Brave,” we infer this from three major points. The witch is seemingly obsessed with bears, with many bear carvings all around her cabin, and even a carving of Sully. She is able to utilize door magic which only exists within “Brave” and “Monsters, Inc.” Lastly, the pizza planet truck, a witch in the Dark Ages should not even be able to fathom a truck right?  She, like the monsters, utilized the magic from the doors to travel back in time, and when she was growing up she must have seen a pizza planet truck. 

Why, though? Why would Boo travel back in time to the Dark Ages to become a witch? There are two proposed reasons for this, one she is desperate to meet Sully again and does everything in her power to find him again, which means finding the ‘source’ of the magic the-will-of-the-wisps. The other, in order to prevent Sully’s second death, so that she can meet Sully again, she herself ensures that everything goes according to the timeline, ensuring the events of “Brave” happen so that she will always remember meeting Sully. By living in the past and remembering the future, she creates a perfect loop also ensuring Sully will never experience a second or final death as she will always remember him. 

Nevertheless, this is all just a theory, not confirmed by Pixar. However, for more information, visit Pixartheory.com, jonnegroni.com, or the SuperCarlinBrothers youtube channel.