Pixar developing new "Finding Nemo" short film project

Pixar is officially back in the ocean. The studio just confirmed it has a new untitled "Finding Nemo" short film in active production — and yes, Dory is coming with it.

A new "Finding Nemo" short film is now in production

According to Deadline, Pixar has officially moved this new project into production as of April 2026. It's a short film — no feature-length commitment yet — but the news alone is enough to get fans of the franchise talking. More importantly, Ellen DeGeneres is confirmed to return as Dory, the lovably forgetful blue tang fish who first stole hearts back in 2003 and later became the lead in the 2016 sequel.

Plot details remain tightly under wraps. No story summary, no supporting cast announcements, nothing. With the project still at an early stage, a release window — whether in cinemas ahead of a larger Pixar feature or directly on Disney+ — hasn't been confirmed either. That said, given how Disney has historically used shorts to precede major theatrical releases, don't rule out the possibility of seeing this one play before Gatto, Pixar's upcoming original film. It would follow a well-established pattern : pair a familiar franchise with a new IP to draw audiences in.

For those keeping track of what's available and where, both Finding Nemo (2003) and Finding Dory (2016) are currently streamable on Disney+. No change there for now, but we'll be watching for any updates on where this new short eventually lands.

What made "Finding Nemo" a franchise worth revisiting

The original Finding Nemo introduced us to Marlin, a clownfish paralysed by fear, and his son Nemo, who ends up stranded in a dentist's office fish tank in Sydney after being scooped up from the Great Barrier Reef. The story worked because it balanced genuine emotional stakes with visual wonder — Pixar's animators reportedly studied real coral reef footage extensively before production. The film earned over $940 million at the worldwide box office, a massive figure for 2003.

The sequel, Finding Dory, shifted focus to Dory's own backstory : her sudden memory of a family she hasn't seen in years sets the trio — Marlin, Nemo and Dory — on a cross-ocean journey to California's Marine Life Institute, a rehabilitation centre and aquarium. There, they meet a cast of memorable new characters :

• Hank, a grumpy "septopus" (technically missing one tentacle) with a talent for camouflage
• Bailey, a beluga whale convinced his echolocation is broken
• Destiny, a nearsighted whale shark with a surprising connection to Dory

Finding Dory grossed over $1 billion globally, confirming that audiences hadn't tired of this underwater world a full 13 years after the original. The franchise has since extended well beyond the screen : there's a rollercoaster at Disneyland Paris, a stage show at Disney's Animal Kingdom, and themed attractions at both Epcot and the original Disneyland park in California.

Disney's broader Pixar revival strategy and what it means for streaming

This new short doesn't exist in isolation. Disney is simultaneously pushing forward with new instalments across several major Pixar franchises : Toy Story, Coco and The Incredibles are all getting fresh content in the near term. The studio is clearly leaning on its proven intellectual properties to maintain subscriber engagement on Disney+ while managing the risks that come with original titles.

A short film is a smart move in that context. It keeps the "Finding Nemo" universe alive without the financial and creative pressure of producing a full third feature. It reactivates a beloved cast, particularly Dory, without needing to justify a two-hour runtime. And if the short performs well — whether theatrically or on-platform — it lays the groundwork for something bigger down the line. A full Finding Nemo 3 remains a genuine possibility, and that kind of box office potential is hard to ignore.

Speaking of Pixar content making its way to home formats, Pixar's Hoppers digital, 4K, Blu-Ray and DVD release details have already been announced — another sign of how quickly the studio is moving content through the pipeline toward home audiences.

We'll continue tracking where this new Finding Nemo short ends up — theatrical, streaming, or both — as soon as official details drop. The underwater world of Pixar clearly still has stories to tell, and Dory's return might just be the beginning of a much larger new chapter for the franchise.