One Mean Toy Story 2 Joke Proved A Bug’s Life 2 Was Never Going To Happen (& Pixar Knew It)

Toy Story 2 all but confirmed that A Bug’s Life 2 wasn’t happening, and just a year after Flik’s sole adventure was in cinemas. As Pixar’s second feature-length movie, A Bug’s Life had a lot to live up to after the success of 1995’s Toy Story. Despite being well-received, a second movie following the insects’ exploits never materialized. However, two characters from A Bug’s Life briefly returned to the Pixar universe to address their absence in a very clever way.

Out of every Pixar movie, the studio’s earliest efforts kickstarted some of their most successful franchises. However, of their first seven films, A Bug’s Life was the only one not to receive a sequel. While properties like Toy Story and 2001’s Monsters, Inc. have gone on to have a life of their own, A Bug’s Life was laid to rest after just a single installment. That being said, the team behind it all is nothing if not self-referential. As such, Pixar included an Easter egg that teased the future of A Bug’s Life in the second Toy Story movie.

The “Bloopers” At The End Of Toy Story 2 Foreshadowed A Bug’s Life 2 Never Happening

Pixar’s fake bloopers hinted at a movie that never came

1999’s Toy Story 2 used a Pixar quirk that originated a year earlier in A Bug’s Life. The first Toy Story sequel included a fake blooper reel that had been animated to the same standard as the movie itself. The scripted gags were mainly staged mistakes of scenes from Toy Story 2, but one of them featured a cameo appearance from Flik and Heimlich from A Bug’s Life. The brief exchange between the two characters shatters the fourth wall, with Flik mistakenly believing they’re on the set of the fabled A Bug’s Life 2.

Unfortunately, Buzz Lightyear sends the bugs flying from the shot seconds later as he enters the scene, which is dressed as a “take” for Toy Story 2. On the surface, the sequence feels like nothing more than a throwaway reference or meta joke. However, 25 years later, the sudden ejection of Flik and Heimlich from the shot feels much more poetically meaningful. Buzz Lightyear could be said to represent the Toy Story franchise in the “blooper,” and the fact he casts the other Pixar characters aside is potentially a strong hint that Toy Story was taking priority.

A Bug’s Life Wasn’t Profitable Enough To Justify A Sequel

Flik’s adventures didn’t make Pixar as much money as other projects

Although A Bug’s Life did turn a profit for Pixar, the money made by the movie paled in comparison to Toy Story and Toy Story 2. The first Toy Story went on to make around $400 million at the box office on a budget of roughly $30 million. A Bug’s Life had a larger budget and yet went on to make around $40 million less than Toy Story. Toy Story 2 also had its budget upped, but this time to around $90 million, yet it still managed to bring in over $500 million at the box office.

From these figures, it’s easy to see why Pixar never made A Bug’s Life 2. Of all the highest-grossing Pixar movies of all time, A Bug’s Life ranks near the bottom. Inversely, two of the top three movies in the same list are from the Toy Story franchise, with both taking over $1 billion each at the box office. The film series will undoubtedly become even more lucrative with Toy Story 5‘s confirmation of a 2026 release. While it’s possible A Bug’s Life could have gone on to flourish in a similar way to Toy Story, it’s impossible to know.

A Bug’s Life 2 Could Save Pixar’s Recent Losing Streak

Most of Pixar’s recent hits have been sequels

Pixar Animation Studios has had a rough time at the box office in recent years. The last two Pixar movies to not crash and burn from a financial perspective were both sequels, with 2018’s Incredibles 2 and 2019’s Toy Story 4 both hitting the $1 billion mark. Despite releasing several original movies since, the last Pixar movie to flourish that wasn’t a sequel was 2017’s Coco, which made over $800 million.

Seeing as it’s been so long since Pixar had a win, A Bug’s Life 2 may be worth reconsidering. It’s obvious from the figures that sequels are one of the main things keeping the studio afloat. Audiences want to see continuations of Pixar stories from years past and are largely disinterested in new ideas. The long wait means A Bug’s Life 2 wouldn’t just attract the original fanbase like Toy Story 2 did, but possibly even their children too.