Following the massive success of “The Super Mario Bros. Movie,” which, along with another film, has grossed a billion dollars at the box office, it might seem plausible that Illumination would shift its focus to this lucrative franchise, potentially sidelining other popular series like “Sing” and “The Secret Life of Pets.”
However, according to Illumination CEO Chris Meledandri, this is not the case. In a recent interview with Collider, Meledandri confirmed that third installments for both “Sing” and “The Secret Life of Pets” are in the works, driven by the creative teams’ passion for these beloved universes. “Well, they are clearly two films that not only I love, but the directors love. The studio loves them. We are working on both of them. They are both, I would say, deep in development,” Meledandri stated.
Regarding “The Secret Life of Pets,” Meledandri explained the deliberate approach to the sequel: “It took us a while to get back to *Pets*, waiting for an idea that we felt was really worthy of the place rather than just making another *Pets* movie. I think we have found a way to approach a *Secret Life of Pets* story that I really love. We are working with Chris Renaud, who was not only the co-director of ‘Despicable Me’ with Pierre Coffin but also the director of the first ‘Pets.’ So we are quite far along, working hard on an idea that I hope we will be able to bring to fruition soon.” For “Sing 3,” he mentioned they are collaborating again with Garth Jennings, the writer and director of the first two films, to craft a sequel that will resonate with fans.
While no major announcements have been made yet, Meledandri revealed that Illumination has projects scheduled through 2031, suggesting that both “Sing 3” and “The Secret Life of Pets 3” are integral parts of this long-term strategy.