With the excitement and energy surrounding Incredibles 2, it seems silly to think about what’s next for Pixar. Of course, fans should continue to revel in “the now” (as Edna may say), but it has been quite some time since we’ve heard any news regarding an upcoming feature film. (Note – the image at the top of this post is not an official logo and only something we mocked up for this post.)
Updated December 12, 2018 – It has been officially announced that the film will indeed be titled, Onward. More details in our updated post.
In March of this year, Disney released their slate of upcoming films which included seven Pixar films planned through 2022. Back in 2017, at the D23 Expo, Pixar revealed information about Incredibles 2, Toy Story 4, and one additional untitled film.
Recently, a keen-eyed user on Reddit spotted a European trademark filing from Disney for the name “Disney Pixar Onward“.
So, what does this mean? Of course, this is not an official confirmation of the title Onward since we’ll have to wait and see what Pixar says. But, in our look back at prior Pixar trademark filings, Disney typically files titles around two years prior to a film’s release (especially for new franchises). That means that the title would most likely be tied to either March 6, 2020, or June 19, 2020.

What film would this apply to then? As revealed at the 2017 D23 Expo, Dan Scanlon is directing a film that takes viewers into a suburban fantasy world. Due to the timing of the filing, it would make the most sense (with what we know today) to be attached to Dan’s film — again, this is solely speculation though.
We also know that Dan’s film is the story of “two teenage elf brothers whose father died when they were too young to remember him. But thanks to the little magic still left in the world, the boys embark on a quest that will allow them a chance to spend one last magical day with their father.”
Could the title of Onward mean that the brothers must keep going “onward” in order to experience that magical day? We’re not sure, but we’re very excited to find out more and explore the possibility of the title. More to come.
While we wait for additional details, be sure to leave a comment below, or chat about the news with other fans in the Pixar Post Forum dedicated to Onward.
Pixar Post — T.J.