Three of Pixar’s Classic Movies Dominate the Hulu Charts

It seems that some of the older titles in Pixar Animation Studio’s impressive library are finding a resurgence in popularity on streaming. Three of the studio’s films have hit the top 10 movies chart on Hulu, with Finding Nemo (#2), Ratatouille (#3), and The Incredibles (#4) all having found strong viewership on the streaming service this week. Combining the libraries of Disney+ and Hulu has made an array of titles available to people who previously had just one or the other service, leading to many old classics now suddenly finding relevance again. In Pixar’s case, it is a testament to the timelessness of their animated masterpieces.

Finding Nemo was released in 2003 and was the fifth Pixar film ever made. Its number two spot on Hulu more than two decades after its release further cements it as an animated classic; the Oscar-winning animated film also holds the very special record of being the highest-selling DVD of all time. Finding Nemo director Andrew Stanton has been one of the most important voices in Pixar, having co-written all the Toy Story movies, along with Monsters, Inc. He went on to write and direct the sequel, Finding Dory, and WALL-E, perhaps the greatest Pixar film yet.

The other two Pixar pictures which have reached spots in the top five, Ratatouille and The Incredibles, were both directed by Brad Bird. The director, who is also well known for directing Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol, is often considered a titan in the animation industry, as his directorial debut, 1999’s The Iron Giant, is regarded as a cult classic and one of the greatest animated films of all time.

Pixar’s Success on Hulu Proves the Studio Still Has Relevance

Ratatouille and The Incredibles both tell unconventional stories in their genres, with the former film addressing the assumptions people can make about each other and their creativity and passions, and the latter film deconstructing comic book tropes and mythos while also telling a heartwarming story about a family coming together and accepting each other for who they are. While Pixar has struggled with its recent releases at the box office (excluding Inside Out 2), the fact that older Pixar titles are gaining popularity proves the studio has staying power.

Thankfully, Pixar’s announcements at last year’s D23 event are evidence that the studio isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. They are striking a balance of releasing sequels (which, again, Inside Out 2 has proven will succeed) as well as new original stories that helped make the animation studio the titan that it is today. Finding Nemo, Ratatouille, and The Incredibles prove that it isn’t just sequels or existing IPs that can succeed, but also innovative stories helmed by talented filmmakers who believe in what they are making.

With these three animated classics in Hulu’s top 10 films chart, there is also a chance that the sequels could be revisited on the service. While not available on Hulu, Finding Dory and The Incredibles 2 are available on Disney+ for those interested in seeing the continuation of their respective stories, with a third Incredibles film also on the way from Brad Bird sometime in the future.