Pixar, with 'Toy Story 3,' shows increasing reliance on sequels

Despite the first 'Cars' movie's somewhat unimpressive reviews and ticket sales, Pixar is rolling out a sequel. Why? Because the animated film sparked a long-lived licensing bonanza.When it comes to sequels, "Cars 2" flies in the face of conventional Hollywood calculus.

Buzz Lightyear, Nemo and The Incredibles are coming to Canada as the Disney-owned Pixar Animation announced Tuesday the launch of a Vancouver studio.While no financial details were released, Pixar Canada?s initial plan is to produce 20 to 25 minutes of short films annually to be distributed worldwide on the Disney Channel, the Internet and theme parks, among other outlets.

When DreamWorks Animation released "Rise of the Guardians" last year, the studio took a gamble on a $145 million film about holiday mascots.

Rumors are circulating that there's about to be layoffs at DreamWorks Animation. 

By Dana Blankenhorn: This is another story that starts with the late Steve Jobs.

"Toy Story 3" scored the biggest-ever opening for animated filmmaker Disney/Pixar, with an expected box office haul of some 109 million dollars, industry experts said Sunday.The movie is the latest chapter of the popular tale of toys come to life from pioneering digital studio Pixar, which launched the first installment of the movie in 1995, in the process ushering in a new era in computer animation.