History - Timeline

1984


Leaving his Disney animation career, John Lasseter joins George Lucas' special affects computer group, which would be soon become known as Pixar.

1986


Lucasfilm, Ltd was the first name the industry took before Steve Jobs bought the company for $10'000'000 and gave it the famous name 'Pixar'. Ed Catmull, a man who had been with the company since 1979, went from vice president to co-founder and chief technical officer at Pixar. Pixar's famous little table lamp 'Luxo Jr' has his world premiere at Siggraph.

1987


A year after it's premiere 'Luxo Jr.' wins an Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film and the Golden Gate Award.

During the next few years, Pixar continued to create short animated films and mini commercials that also went onto to win many small awards.

1991


Pixar teams up with Walt Disney Studios; this newly formed friendship leads to the development and creation of up to three feature length animated films.

1993


Pixar makes an IBM (International Business Machine) logo.

1994


Pixar makes its Paramount logo.

1995


Pixar finally goes public offering 6'900'000 shares at $22 a share. The IPO (Intellectual Property Office) raises $140'000'000 beating Netscape Communications as the highest IPO of the year. Pixar's first fully featured computer animated film, Toy Story, is released in US theatres during Thanksgiving weekend. It becomes the biggest grossing film of 1995 making an estimated $192'000'000 in domestic box office receipts and almost $362'000'000 worldwide. Disney distributed the film.

1996


Pixar's much loved characters Woody and Buzz from the film Toy Story make a special appearance at the  68th Academy Awards. John Lasseter is given the Special Achievement Award for his inspired leadership of the Pixar Toy Story Team resulting in the first feature-length computer animated film. 

1997


History is again made as Pixar and Disney make a new agreement to creature fives films together. With Pixar's employees growing to 375, the company expands to a second building. Pixar also releases the short animated film 'Geri's Game'; the film was the beginning of the advances in the ability to animate skin and cloth.    

1998


Another of Pixar's great films is released: A Bug's Life. The film broke all the previous box office records with the highest grossing animated film, earning around 163'000'000  in domestic box office receipts and roughly 362'000'000 worldwide.

1999


Making a smashing comeback, Toy Story has a sequel released and again Pixar breaks box office records in the US, UK and Japan becoming the highest grossing animated film. The film was the first be created, exhibited and mastered digitally alongside being the first animated sequel to make more than it's original.

2001

Ed Catmull, the chief technical who has been with Pixar for many years is named President of the industry, John Lasseter signs a ten year contract so that he provides only for Pixar and nobody else and the number of employees reaches 600. Pixar's next film, Monsters Inc, keeps tradition and becomes the highest grossing film of the year.

2003


The next animated film, Finding Nemo, is released.

2004


Pixar releases the film, The Incredibles. Finding Nemo becomes the number 1 selling DVD of all time and wins the Oscar for Best Animated Film.

2006


John Lasseter returned as Director for Pixar's new film Cars. Disney buys Pixar through a transaction worth $7.4'000'000'000.

2007


Pixar's eighth movie, Ratatouille was released and grossed an estimated $623'000'000, it was also nominated for five Academy Awards and won Best Animated Feature Film.

2008


Pixar released one of their most clever films to date, an animated film called WALL.E. The films main character is a small robot who doesn't speak which, ultimately, makes him more attractive and fun to watch and the audience can focus on him better. The film received a Pixar record of 6 Academy Award nominations and won Best Animated Film.

2009


Pixar's award winning film 'Up' was released and won Best Original Score and Best Animated Film.

2010


An emotional and great return of Pixar's finest; the industry released Toy Story 3 to mark 25 years after the release of the first film.