Pixar developing direct-to-DVD Cars spinoff called Planes?

It’s not a stretch at all to say that Pixar has been almost mistake-free since TOY STORY was released in 1995. The only misstep was CARS, by all accounts a moderately enjoyable but mostly average film. Strange then that Pixar seems so intent on expanding that universe. In addition to the CARS sequel that’s set for release next summer, and the endless CARS-Toons short films, we’ve now got word that Pixar is developing a spinoff to the CARS franchise. Titled PLANES.

If this were April Fools, I might not even be fooled. If this were a headline on The Onion, I’d probably laugh. But by all accounts it seems that this is legit. Eager to cash in on the lucrative direct-to-DVD market, Pixar is apparently developing PLANES, a movie very similar to CARS, except with planes as the anthropomorphic characters.

The move strikes me as somewhat hypocritical as one of John Lasseter’s first edicts as Chief Creative Officer of Disney was to shut down the direct-to-DVD cycle that had churned out such crap as THE LION KING 1 1/2 and THE LITTLE MERMAID III. (Apparently it was an early screening of TINKERBELL that so incensed Lasseter that he fired then DisneyToon Studios head Sharon Morrill.) Word was that Lasseter felt that these sequels were undercutting the creative and financial success of their feature films. An entire line of planned DVDs, “Disney Princess Enchanted Tales,” were canceled outright. So why is a direct-to-DVD release spinoff of one of Pixar’s films suddenly OK?

I get that CARS is John Lasseter’s baby – he wrote and directed the original and he’s co-directing the sequel. But with MONSTERS, INC. 2 also on the way, I’m just hoping that Pixar hasn’t lost touch with the idea that original properties are why we love them so much…