Monsters, Inc. (franchise)

Monsters, Inc. is a media franchise owned by The Walt Disney Company that consists of two computer-animated films produced by Pixar Animation Studios, a television series, and several short films and video games. The franchise takes place in a fictional universe where monsters are the primary citizens of a society and harness the energy of human children to power their cities. The company known as Monsters, Inc. accomplishes this by patenting doors which lead to their worlds.
==Films==
===Monsters, Inc. (2001) ===
The first film in the franchise, Monsters, Inc., introduces the monster world and the main characters, James P. “Sulley” Sullivan and Mike Wazowski, who are employed as “scarers” at Monsters, Inc., the largest scream-processing factory in Monstropolis. When a little girl named Boo accidentally enters the monster world through her closet door, Sulley and Mike must find a way to return her home while avoiding the authorities and a rival scarer named Randall Boggs, who plans to kidnap children for his own nefarious purposes. The film was directed by Pete Docter and released on November 2, 2001. It was a critical and commercial success, grossing over $577 million worldwide and becoming the second highest-grossing animated film of all time at the time of its release. It was also nominated for four Academy Awards, including Best Animated Feature, but lost to Shrek.
===Monsters University (2013)===
A prequel to the first film, Monsters University tells the backstory of Sulley and Mike, who meet as freshmen at the prestigious Monsters University, where they aspire to become scarers. However, they soon find themselves at odds with each other and with the strict dean of the School of Scaring, Dean Hardscrabble. To prove themselves worthy of becoming scarers, they join a fraternity of misfits called Oozma Kappa and compete in the Scare Games, a series of challenges that test their skills and teamwork. Along the way, they learn to overcome their differences and become best friends. The film was directed by Dan Scanlon and released on June 21, 2013. It received positive reviews from critics and grossed over $744 million worldwide.
==Television series==
===Monsters at Work (2021–present)===
A television series spin-off of Monsters, Inc., Monsters at Work follows the events after the first film, when Monsters, Inc. switches from using screams to laughter as a power source. The series focuses on Tylor Tuskmon, a young mechanic who dreams of working as a scarer alongside his idols Sulley and Mike, but must adjust to his new role as a “jokester” in the Laugh Floor. The series also features other new characters as well as returning ones from the films. The series is produced by Disney Television Animation for Disney+ and premiered on July 7, 2021. It has received positive reviews from critics and audiences.
== Short films ==
The franchise also includes two short films that were released theatrically with the feature films:
* Mike's New Car (2002): A short film that shows Mike’s attempts to impress Sulley with his new six-wheel drive car, which turns out to be more trouble than it’s worth.
* Party Central (2013): A short film that shows Mike and Sulley helping their Oozma Kappa friends throw a wild party by using closet doors to steal guests from other parties.
== Video games ==
Several video games based on the franchise have been released for various platforms, such as:
* Monsters, Inc.: Scream Team (2001): A platform game that follows Sulley and Mike as they train to become scarers at Monsters, Inc.
* Monsters, Inc.: Scare Island (2002): A platform game that allows players to explore various locations from the first film and scare human children.
* Monsters University: Catch Archie (2013): A mobile game that challenges players to catch Archie the Scare Pig, the mascot of Monsters University’s rival school.
* Disney Infinity (2013): A sandbox game that features characters and worlds from various Disney franchises, including Monsters, Inc.
* Disney Crossy Road (2016): A mobile game that is a crossover of Disney characters and Crossy Road , an endless runner game.
* Disney Heroes: Battle Mode (2018): RPG featuring Mike, Sulley, Boo, and Randall. Several other characters and objects appear in form of badges/avatars. 
== Reception ==
The Monsters, Inc. franchise has been widely praised by critics and audiences for its humor, animation quality, voice acting, and heartwarming stories. The franchise has also been recognized with various awards and nominations, such as Academy Awards , Golden Globes , BAFTAs , Annie Awards , and Kids’ Choice Awards . The franchise has also been a commercial success, grossing over $1.3 billion worldwide from the films alone. The franchise is considered one of Pixar’s most popular and beloved properties, and has spawned a large fan base and merchandise.
Category:Franchises
Category:Disney franchises
Category:Monsters, Inc.
Category:Pixar
Category:Pixar franchises