Why Pixar Cancelled Adventure Movie In Development For Years Detailed In New Report

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Pixar is facing some tough questions as reports of a cancelled movie come to light.

Pixar started as a small graphics team within Lucasfilm in 1979. Steve Jobs bought the group in 1986, and they shifted their focus from building computer hardware to creating animated films. In 1995, they released Toy Story, the first feature-length movie made entirely with computer animation. Disney acquired Pixar in 2006 for over $7 billion. Since then, Pixar has created many hugely successful films, like Inside Out and Finding Nemo, and has repeatedly won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.

Following the release of Pixar’s new film, Hoppers, The Wall Street Journal reported on the company’s future and a canceled movie project. The film, titled Be Fri, was scrapped in late 2023, surprising Pixar staff. The project had been in development for over three years with a team of 50 people, making it one of Pixar’s longest-running undeveloped movies.

Kristen Lester, the creator of the 2019 short film Purl, drew inspiration for Be Fri from a personal experience – a childhood friendship that faded away. Originally, the story was going to center on two teenage girls growing apart. However, the plot took an unexpected turn when they discovered that their beloved TV show was actually real, forcing them to work together to save the world.

Blaise Hemingway, the writer of Clifford the Big Red Dog, worked on a project called Be Fri, along with editor Nicholas C. Smith, who later retired from Pixar. A former Pixar employee told The Hollywood Reporter (anonymously) that the project received lots of feedback from executives, but Disney cancelled it right before animation was set to begin, after it had been in development for 20 years.

Following the third Be Fri’s Braintrust meeting (BT3), Kristen and Blaise pitched a bold plan to Disney. Recognizing Disney’s dissatisfaction with the film’s current state, they requested six weeks to completely rework it. Kristen, Blaise, Nick, and several storyboard artists then dedicated themselves to an intense, around-the-clock effort. Normally, pre-production for an animated movie takes a year of storyboarding, but they managed to condense that entire process into just six weeks to create a fourth iteration of the film.

The film was as strong as anything Pixar’s made, which is why I was so surprised Disney didn’t move forward with it. They kept saying they didn’t think young boys would be able to relate to the story. Ultimately, Disney wanted to avoid a movie focused on female empowerment.

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Pixar has a history of creating successful films with female protagonists, like the hugely popular Inside Out and its sequel, Inside Out 2. More recent examples include Turning Red, Finding Dory, and Brave. However, a planned film, Be Fri, was cancelled after the disappointing box office performance of Lightyear, a Toy Story spin-off, which also faced criticism regarding its portrayal of LGBTQ+ characters.

A former Pixar employee strongly criticized the studio’s leadership, saying they lack courage. Pixar hasn’t addressed the recent claims about a female-led movie project being canceled. The employee also pointed to the success of films like KPop Demon Hunters, suggesting that Disney executives who rejected the scrapped Pixar film might now regret their decision.

Pixar has yet to comment on the recent news and allegations surrounding Be Fri.

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2026-04-11 16:03