Finding Nemo (franchise)
An animated franchise about ocean adventures and family.
The *Finding Nemo* franchise is an American animated series that started with Pixar's 2003 film, released by Walt Disney Pictures. A standalone sequel, *Finding Dory*, followed in 2016. Andrew Stanton directed both movies. Critics and audiences widely praised the series, which has earned $1.9 billion worldwide from its two installments.
The first film, Pixar's fifth, follows clownfish Nemo (voiced by Alexander Gould), taken from the Great Barrier Reef to a dentist's aquarium. His cautious father Marlin (Albert Brooks) and a forgetful regal tang named Dory (Ellen DeGeneres) journey to Sydney Harbour to rescue him, teaching Marlin to embrace risk and let Nemo be independent.
*Finding Dory*, Pixar's seventeenth film, centers on Dory (DeGeneres) as she travels to California a year later to find her parents, Jenny and Charlie, exploring themes of family and reunion off the coast of Morro Bay.
Regarding a third film, Stanton noted in June 2016 that *Finding Dory* felt like the emotional missing piece for the first movie, though he learned from *Toy Story* sequels not to rule out further stories. In May 2024, Pixar CCO Pete Docter said the studio was considering a third installment, citing the ocean's vast, unexplored potential. As of 2025, no further announcements regarding a third film or short have been made, and there is no verified public record of Ellen DeGeneres stating she would not reprise the role of Dory.
Short films include *Exploring the Reef with Jean-Michel Cousteau* (2003), a documentary on the Great Barrier Reef interrupted by Marlin, Dory, and Nemo; *Marine Life Interviews* (2016), featuring supporting characters from *Finding Dory*; *Dory Finding* (2021), part of the *Pixar Popcorn* series; *Field Trip* (2024), from the *Lego Pixar BrickToons* series; and *Loving Dory* (2027), a theatrical short where Dory allies with a floating plastic bag.
In box office performance, *Finding Nemo* was the second highest-grossing film of 2003 (behind *The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King*) and Pixar's top earner until *Toy Story 3* in 2010. *Finding Dory* ranked third in 2016, after *Civil War* and *Rogue One*. The franchise is the 13th highest-grossing animated series.
Both films received universal acclaim. The first won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, grossed o
- First film release
- 2003
- Second film release
- 2016
- Director
- Andrew Stanton
- Production company
- Pixar
- Distributor
- Walt Disney Pictures
- Total box office
- $1.9 billion
- Number of films
- 2
Lore & Background
The franchise began with Finding Nemo (2003), the fifth Pixar film, which tells the story of a clownfish named Nemo who is abducted from the Great Barrier Reef and ends up in a dentist's office aquarium. His overprotective father Marlin, along with an amnesiac regal tang named Dory, searches for him all the way to Sydney Harbour. The film won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature and became the best-selling DVD of all time, with over 40 million copies sold as of 2006.
Finding Dory (2016), the seventeenth Pixar film, focuses on the amnesiac character Dory, who travels to California to find her long-lost parents. It takes place one year after Finding Nemo and is set off the coast of Morro Bay, California. Director Andrew Stanton commented in June 2016 about the possibility of a third film, stating that he felt Finding Dory was the missing piece emotionally for the first movie, but left the door open for future stories. As of 2025, no third film or short has been announced, and there is no verified public record of Ellen DeGeneres stating she would not reprise the role of Dory.
Reader's Guide
The Finding Nemo franchise is significant as a major animated series from Pixar, known for its emotional storytelling and commercial success. Both films received universal acclaim, with the first film winning the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature and being named the 10th greatest American animated film by the American Film Institute in 2008. The franchise has expanded into theme park attractions, including Crush's Coaster at Disneyland Paris, Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage at Disneyland, and The Seas with Nemo & Friends at Epcot. It also generated multiple video games, such as Finding Nemo (2003) and Disney Infinity content, as well as short films like Exploring the Reef with Jean-Michel Cousteau (2003) and Marine Life Interviews (2016). The franchise's legacy includes being the 13th highest-grossing animated franchise and influencing Pixar's approach to sequels, as noted by Andrew Stanton's comments on making extensions feel inevitable.
Did You Know?
- Finding Nemo is the best-selling DVD of all time, with over 40 million copies sold as of 2006.
- The franchise has grossed $1.9 billion worldwide across two films.
- Finding Nemo won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.
- A new Finding Nemo short film was announced on April 25, 2026, with Ellen DeGeneres reprising her role as Dory after initially stating she would retire.
More in Children's film series 1-24
Spotted an error? Know more?
This is a living reference — every entry is fact-audited, and reader corrections feed straight into our audit queue. Suggest an edit · See this site's audit record