Back when Disney bought Marvel, there was some curiosity as to whether Disney Animation or Pixar would ever produce a film utilizing superhero characters such as Iron Man, Hulk, Dr. Strange, and more. Although neither of those characters is making their way into a Disney animated film, Disney is currently working on Big Hero 6, a relatively new Marvel property that teams up a cast of unknowns. After Disney bought LucasFilm, the question turned to whether we would ever see an animated film from Disney or Pixar. A new report has emerged claiming that a plan is in motion for Pixar to work on a Star Wars film.
Latino Review reports that they have “heard that Pixar has been given their own Star Wars movie.” No further details were made available to them by their source(s), so it is difficult to judge the validity of the rumor. However, if it does turn out to be true, it would be a huge turning point for Pixar, which, to this point, has only produced films based on stories developed internally. Every studio in Hollywood at some point has turned to adapting a book or another well-known property, but the Emeryville-based studio has been a notable exception.
If Pixar is truly developing a Star Wars film, it would certainly be based on new characters (no Luke, Leia, and Han), as the studio has demonstrated a passion for sharing original stories. No timeline has been provided for this potential film, but if we do see it one day, then there is a strong chance it will be one of the spin-off films that the Star Wars brand is releasing every other year, starting in 2016. Since this is the first rumor we are hearing of the film, we would likely not see a completed product for years, though, as Pixar takes approximately four years to develop a film.
Latino Review has historically published many reports that have turned out to be true, but the site also has a history of being wrong. Once we hear of a second report, this one will begin to look more likely. However, the report remains unconfirmed, so it will officially be a rumor until someone at Disney confirms or denies it.