'Finding Nemo' Sequel, 'Finding Dory,' Will Star Ellen DeGeneres

Pixar and Disney announced the sequel to “Finding Nemo” will star Ellen DeGeneres in her return to voice the titular Blue Tang with a bad memory. “Finding Dory," which has been unofficially called "Finding Nemo 2" by fans worldwide, will hit theaters Nov. 25, 2015.

Andrew Stanton, director of “Finding Nemo,” will return to direct its sequel, and Albert Brooks will return as Marlin, Nemo’s father. The script will be written by Victoria Strouse, whose first screenwriting credit was 2002’s “New Best Friend.”

In the press release, DeGeneres joked about how long it took to start making “Finding Dory,” saying, “I have waited for this day for a long, long, long, long, long, long time. I’m not mad it took this long. I know the people at Pixar were busy creating ‘Toy Story 16.’ But the time they took was worth it.”

DeGeneres praised Strouse’s script saying it was very funny and has “a lot of heart.” Stanton said one of the biggest questions about “Finding Nemo” revolved involved Dory being alone before meeting Marlin, and “Finding Dory” will explore her character and her relationship with her loved ones.

“In ‘Finding Dory,’ she will be reunited with her loved ones, learning a few things about the meaning of family along the way,” Stanton said.

“Finding Dory” will take place one year after “Finding Nemo,” and, in addition to Marlin, the Tank Gang will return in the sequel, which will take place off the coast of California. Expect to meet plenty of new characters throughout Dory’s adventures. “Finding Dory” will have a lot to live up to, as “Finding Nemo” won the Oscar for Best Animated Feature in 2003, the Wall Street Journal notes.

While unofficially known as "Finding Nemo 2," Pixar's announcement of “Finding Dory” means there will be five upcoming films from the animation studio. “Monsters University,” a prequel to “Monsters Inc.,” will arrive in theaters on June 21, 2013, while the animated studio also announced “The Good Dinosaur,” to be released on May 30, 2014. Pixar also announced two yet-to-be-named films, a movie “that takes you inside the mind” from “Up” director Pete Docter and a movie about the Mexican holiday, “Dia de los Muertos.”