10 Long-Gestating Movie Sequels That Were Worth The Wait

Years Waited: 13

Pixar sequels are either huge hits or huge misses. For every chance a film has of being the next genuinely wonderful follow-up, it also has a chance of being the next Cars 2. So when Finding Dory was announced, there was reason to be trepidatious. Much like Cars 2, it saw Pixar focusing more on the jokester sidekick from the first film and pitting them as the hero of their own story.

Luckily, the team behind Finding Dory was a great deal smarter than that and the result is a poignantly touching sequel that builds upon the first film in inspired ways. And funnily enough, the true highlight of the film is Dory.

Director Andrew Stanton's entire reason for doing a sequel in the first place was the nagging feeling that he had never been able to do Dory's character any justice. Thus, the sequel focuses on Dory's childhood and the lasting effects of her short-term memory loss. Ellen Degeneres gives an incredible performance, taking the memory loss trait that could have very easily become grating, and instead imbues it with pathos. Every time Dory has to ask for something a second time, it's done so with sadness and regret.

When she's finally able to surpass her affliction and be reunited with her family, it feels like a huge payoff to a two-film long build-up, and it's pure Pixar magic.