Finding Dory Gets a Poster; First Trailer Has Arrived [Updated]

[UPDATE: The Finding Dory trailer is now online!]

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Chances are that if you were around in 2003, you’ll remember the release of Disney/Pixar’s Finding Nemo and what a success that it was. The underwater adventure tale of a little fish trying to find his son hit just the right notes with audiences, bringing home an Oscar for Best Animated Feature and catapulting it to the top of Disney/Pixar’s highest grossing films of all time list (at the time).

The film also hit theaters four months prior to the premiere of comedienne Ellen DeGeneres’ daytime talk show The Ellen DeGeneres Show in 2003. The show has since gone on to become a massive hit over the years, winning multiple awards and showing consistent year-to-year growth in ratings. Ellen has become more of a household name than ever and this fame has undoubtedly bolstered Disney/Pixar’s confidence in building a Nemo sequel around DeGeneres’ character – the ever-forgetful regal blue tang Dory – titled Finding Dory.

Finding Dory has now gotten its own poster, and the one-sheet is a reference to Dory’s go-getter bit of advice as sung to Marlin (Albert Brooks) in the original film, to “Just keep swimming.” Set against an underwater expanse of deep blue, it teases only a glimpse of the back half of Dory’s busy body as she speeds away. “She just kept swimming…” reads the poster’s tagline. It doesn’t give away much at all about the film, but it’s perhaps the perfect lead up to the release of Finding Dory’s first official trailer, which is set for tomorrow.

Check out that Finding Dory poster (revealed by DeGeneres through her official Twitter account), below:

It’s almost here. Don’t miss the exclusive first look of Finding Dory on @ellentube. Tomorrow. #justkeepswimming pic.twitter.com/BBAIS60Wqb— Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow) November 9, 2015

The sequel takes place six months after the original film, when Dory is inspired by the homeward bound migratory practices of manta rays. According to a statement by Pixar president Jim Morris, the plot will deal with Dory’s attempts to discover where exactly it was that she came from:

“The movie will be mostly set at the California Marine Biology Institute, a huge complex of sea life rehabilitation and aquarium, where Dory was born and raised. We will get to meet new characters, like an octopus, sea lions, a beluga whale, among others.”

Pixar had apparently changed the original setting of Finding Dory from an aquatic theme park to a marine biology institute after the 2013 award-winning documentary, Blackfish, shed a controversial light on the famed Sea World theme park.

Finding Dory will see the return of director Andrew Stanton, while his co-director on the project will be Angus MacLane – known primarily for his animation work on a wide array of Disney/Pixar films. Along with DeGeneres, Albert Brooks, and Willem Defoe will return, while new additions to the cast including Diane Keaton (Christmas With The Coopers), Idris Elba and Dominic West, Eugene Levy (American Reunion), Ty Burrell (Muppets Most Wanted) and Ed O’Neill (Modern Family).

The original Nemo did what Disney does best by creating a tale immersed in the themes of family, self-confidence and kindness. Aside from the huge Ellen DeGeneres fanbase who will see the sequel and take their children, there’s also the nostalgia factor for many of the film’s now grown up fans who first saw Finding Nemo as children. It’s hard to imagine this movie not being yet another massive hit for Disney/Pixar, so the smart bet is to expect a huge box-office take – and who knows, maybe another Oscar, too.

Finding Dory opens in US theatres on June 17th, 2016.