Will ‘Finding Dory’ catch waves 13 years post ‘Finding Nemo?’
Ellen DeGeneres voices the title character in "Finding Dory." Credit: Walt Disney Pictures/Pixar
Dory’s problem in “Finding Nemo” was short-term memory. Pixar’s problem with “Finding Dory” may be long-term memory: It’s been 13 years since the first movie was released. When the sequel swims into theaters June 17, will it be fans of the first film queuing up to see it? Or their kids?
“Nemo,” the animated classic about a lost (fish) boy and his frantic (fish) father, had an irresistible, virtually mythic appeal for kids: No matter how lost you may be, it told them — no matter how vast the ocean — your father will find you, despite all the migrating sea turtles, blooming jellyfish and “vegetarian” sharks named Bruce. Stuck in a dentist’s office? Dad will extract you. The film won an Academy Award for best animated feature, was nominated for best original screenplay and won many fans of the adult variety.
One of them, naturally, was Ellen DeGeneres, who lobbied Pixar for years to produce a sequel, and will reprise her role voicing Dory in the upcoming film. “Dory” also features the vocal talents of the returning Albert Brooks as Marlin, the young Hayden Rolence as Nemo (who wasn’t even born when “Nemo” came out), Diane Keaton and Eugene Levy as Dory’s parents, Idris Elba as Fluke the Sea Lion and Ed O’Neill (“Modern Family”) as a seven-legged octopus named Hank (aka “Septopus”). Also returning: director Andrew Stanton as Crush the daffy sea turtle and the film’s writer Bob Peterson as Mr. Ray, who was Nemo’s schoolteacher in the first film.
Whatever its merits, “Dory” is not how sequels are supposed to work. The movie industry’s insatiable appetite for follow-ups is about fanning the fresh flame of affection fans feel for the original — and exploiting the name recognition that means so much to a studio’s marketing department. “Dory” is not exactly hot on “Finding Nemo’s” heels. It’s too late to catch a wave. Nemo-mentum may have come and gone.
But Pixar has its own fan base and besides — “Dory” is set just a few months after the end of “Nemo.” Dory is beginning to recall facts about her past, setting her on a course to finding her parents. Accompanied by Marlin and Nemo — and visited by more and more returning memories — she heads for the coast of California and the Morro Bay Marine Life Institute, where she meets Bailey, a beluga whale (Ty Burrell), Destiny, a whale shark (Kaitlin Olsen) and the aforementioned Hank.
Stanton has said that “Dory” is the “inverse” of “Nemo” and that they fit together neatly: “Nemo” avoided flashbacks and involved a parent finding a child; “Dory” relies on a lot of flashbacks and involves a child seeking her parents. “Dory” is still a story about finding one’s family, of course, and as such may hold enormous appeal for the people who hold “Nemo” so close to their hearts.
Thirteen years — an eternity in movie-sequel land — has passed since “Finding Nemo” was released. Here’s a look at how life has changed since those Pixar fish last hit the screen:
President
2003: George W. Bush
2016: Barack Obama
Sexiest Man Alive
2003: Johnny Depp
2016: David Beckham
Gallon of gas
2003: $1.49
2016: $2.33
Trending on Twitter
2003: What’s Twitter?
2016: “Humans of NY”
Top nonsports TV show
2003: “American Idol”
2016: “NCIS”
Best picture winner
2003: “Chicago”
2016: “Spotlight”
Median (non-East End) LI home price
2003: $325,000
2016: $371,000
Disease
2003: SARS
2016: Zika
Fashion trend male
2003: Jason Mraz fedora
2016: Old Testament beard
Fashion trend female
2003: velour hoodies
2016: plaid
Same-sex marriage
2003: Legal in Belgium
2016: Legal in the United States
Notable celebrity death
2003: Johnny Cash
2016: Prince
Donald Trump phrase
2003 “You’re fired!”
2016: “You’re a sleaze”
Most popular baby names
2003: Emily and Jacob
2016: Emma and Liam
Bieber
2003 : German for “beaver”
2016: Canadian for “OMG”
‘Tonight Show’ host
2003: Jay Leno
2016: Jimmy Fallon
‘Jeopardy!’ host
2003: Alex Trebek
2016: Alex Trebek
