Monsters, Inc.

2001 American computer-animated comedy film

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Directed by	Pete Docter
Written by
Screenplay by	Andrew Stanton, Daniel Gerson
Story by	Pete Docter, Jill Culton, Jeff Pidgeon, Ralph Eggleston
Based on
Produced by	Darla K. Anderson
Starring	John Goodman, Billy Crystal, Steve Buscemi, James Coburn, Jennifer Tilly, Mary Gibbs
Narrated by
Cinematography

Monsters, Inc. is a 2001 American computer-animated comedy film produced by Pixar Animation Studios for Walt Disney Pictures. The film was directed by Pete Docter in his directorial debut, with co-direction by Lee Unkrich and David Silverman. The screenplay was written by Andrew Stanton and Daniel Gerson from a story by Docter, Jill Culton, Jeff Pidgeon, and Ralph Eggleston. The film features the voices of John Goodman, Billy Crystal, Steve Buscemi, James Coburn, Jennifer Tilly, and Mary Gibbs.

Plot

The film is set in Monstropolis, a city inhabited by monsters. The city's power is generated by the screams of human children, which are collected by "scarers" who enter the human world through closet doors. The top scarer is James P. "Sulley" Sullivan, who works with his best friend and assistant, Mike Wazowski, at Monsters, Inc., the city's largest scream-processing factory.

One night, Sulley accidentally lets a human child into Monstropolis. He and Mike must return her to her world before anyone discovers her presence, as human children are believed to be toxic. They name the child "Boo" and disguise her as a monster to avoid detection. Meanwhile, the company's CEO, Henry J. Waternoose III, and rival scarer, Randall Boggs, have their own plans for Boo.

Characters

• James P. "Sulley" Sullivan (voiced by John Goodman): The top scarer at Monsters, Inc.
• Mike Wazowski (voiced by Billy Crystal): Sulley's best friend and assistant.
• Boo (voiced by Mary Gibbs): A human child who enters Monstropolis.
• Randall Boggs (voiced by Steve Buscemi): Sulley's rival and a fellow scarer.
• Henry J. Waternoose III (voiced by James Coburn): The CEO of Monsters, Inc.
• Celia Mae (voiced by Jennifer Tilly): Mike's girlfriend and the receptionist at Monsters, Inc.
• Roz (voiced by Bob Peterson): The key master and administrator at Monsters, Inc.

Production

The idea for Monsters, Inc. was conceived by Pete Docter during a lunch in 1994 with fellow Pixar directors John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton, and Joe Ranft. The film went through many changes during its development, including the design of the characters and the storyline. Randy Newman composed the film's score, which was his fourth collaboration with Pixar.

Release and Reception

Monsters, Inc. was released on November 2, 2001, and was a critical and commercial success. It grossed over $577 million worldwide and received praise for its animation, voice performances, and humor. The film won the Academy Award for Best Original Song for "If I Didn't Have You" and was nominated for three other Academy Awards.

Legacy

The success of Monsters, Inc. led to a prequel, Monsters University, released in 2013, which explores the college years of Sulley and Mike. The film also inspired a Disney+ series, Monsters at Work, which premiered in 2021.

See also

• List of Pixar films
• List of Disney animated films