Is Remy Returning? Inside the Rumors About Ratatouille 2
Written by Jeff Stone (Published by Patrick Stone)
Let’s get the facts out first: as of mid-2025, there is no official confirmation from Pixar or Disney that Ratatouille 2 is in production. Voice actor Patton Oswalt, who gives life to Remy, has said “he’d be down” if there were a sequel and if Brad Bird, the original writer/director, had a really great idea. But that’s a big “if.”
On the flip side, Pete Docter, Pixar’s chief creative officer, has been pretty direct about live-action versions or remakes or re-uses of Ratatouille that stray too far from what made that film magical. He’s said it “bothers” him, and that a live-action Ratatouille would be “tough.” He’s not saying “never,” but he’s pushing back loudly on the idea of messing with the integrity of what was made special in animation.
Then there are recent rumors. Not from Pixar press releases, but from industry chatter and outlets like Jeff Sneider, who heard on “The Hot Mic” podcast that Ratatouille 2 might be “on the menu,” so to speak. There’s belief, among some insiders, that the denials are maybe more about public positioning, while behind closed doors people are at least exploring possibilities.
Rumor + possibility + cautious withholding from Pixar = fertile ground for speculation. And it matters that Pixar has recently seen success with sequels and legacy IP, Inside Out 2, Toy Story 5 on the horizon, Incredibles 3 developing. There’s a financial logic. Audiences (and numbers) seem to respond when you return to something beloved, when nostalgia is real and well-handled. That doesn’t guarantee quality, but it raises incentives.
First, it’d have to respect what made Ratatouille special: its warmth, its love of craft, its sense of wonder, its kindness, its almost spiritual respect for creativity. Brad Bird is the linchpin: you don’t want a sequel goofed up by weak storytelling or replacing the soulful with clever. Oswalt’s comment that “without a great idea” he’d rather there be no sequel is telling. He doesn’t want to cheapen Remy, or the emotional truth. Remy was never just a funny rat cooking; he was a rat with a gift who deserved respect, who went into human spaces and changed them. A sequel would have to answer not just “What now?” but “What’s changed in Remy, in Paris kitchens, in the world of food / passion / creativity since then?” There’s room for that. You could explore new dynamics: maybe Remy as mentor, or facing competition, or cooking in a changed culinary world—sustainability, food trends, tech in kitchens, even AI in cooking (why not). But it has to feel lived, not tacked-on.
Second, there’s the question of cast and voice. Oswalt would likely come back if it feels right. But for a sequel to resonate, Pixar would need the key players (director, voices somewhere close to original tone) to buy in. Without that, it risks being nostalgia cosplay. And people smell that. They’ll forgive simplicity; they won’t forgive empty homage.
Third, the animation, design, tone: delivered with love. Pixar’s tech and artistry have advanced, so visually you could expect more refinement. But refinement isn’t what made Ratatouille beloved. It’s the imperfections, the heat, the smaller touches, a rat’s whiskers, the sound of sizzling, the chaos of a real kitchen, the risks behind flavor. If sequels overshoot polish and lose texture, you lose the humanity. Remy doesn’t need to be slicker; he needs to be truer.
One big risk is sequel fatigue. We’re in a moment where legacy matters, remakes and sequels are more assured box-office bets. But that makes the stakes higher: the new film will be compared not only against the original, but against fans’ memories, against sentiment. If it stumbles, even by a little, it risks dragging the love people still have for Ratatouille through disappointment. Sometimes it’s better to leave what you love alone.
Another risk is creative complacency. The easiest route is to reproduce the structure of the first film, maybe tweak setting, maybe add new characters, throw in some cooking contest, some family stuff, some underdog arc. But that’s a trap. Pixar has done that sort of thing; sometimes it works, often it feels derivative. The sequel must move the world forward, or open new corners. Otherwise, what’s the point?
Also, there’s business risk. If the sequel underperforms, critics pounce, fandom sighs, and it becomes another in the pile of nostalgic revivals that didn’t really need reviving. That’s a hit on brand trust. Pixar has been walking a balancing act: more sequels, yes, but also still aspiring originals. If Ratatouille 2 goes wrong, it could shift fans’ faith. Not ruin it, but degrade that sense that Pixar means something different.
What seems likely, in my gut, is Ratatouille 2 will happen someday, but not soon, not hastily. I suspect Pixar will wait for Brad Bird to feel genuinely compelled by an idea, not pressured by the sequel train. They might even test waters via a short, or story expansion, or concept art, before green-lighting full production. If it happens, I expect Remy will be older, wiser, but still hungry, still nervous. There might be new chefs challenging norms, maybe crisis in the kitchen (something about tradition vs innovation, or sustainability, or changing tastes). If they pull that off, heart plus complexity, it could be one of those sequels that doesn’t just bank on nostalgia but enlarges the original.
What seems unlikely is a live-action remake version (with real people and possibly CGI rats). Pete Docter’s comments make that very clear: the animated world’s rules are part of Ratatouille’s soul. Trying to translate a talking rat into live-action becomes less whimsical and more weird, and without the right design it could undercut the magic. Plus, Docter’s position is they find remaking those classics less interesting if it’s not more than just a remake; it has to be re-imagined, re-justified.
If I had to place a bet (money, not just hope), I’d say we’ll see Ratatouille 2 announced within the next two to three years. Probably directed or supervised by Brad Bird or someone deeply steeped in the original style. It won’t be rushed. It might premiere in theaters with a simultaneous Disney+ streaming window (or close to it). The voice cast will include Oswalt. And the story will try to honor what came before, but also say something about what’s going on in kitchens (or food culture, or creativity) in 2025-2030.
