Ratatouille 2 is possible, but only under one nonnegotiable condition, says star

Fans have been banging on about Ratatouille 2 for ages, but if you were hoping Pixar might finally crack and churn out a sequel just to keep the crowd happy (or rake in the cash), think again. The bloke behind Remy the rat's voice, Patton Oswalt, has just made it perfectly clear: unless a very specific person comes back with an absolute belter of an idea, it’s never going to happen.

One Man Holds the Key

Here’s the situation: loads of famous Pixar films have had sequels (and some probably shouldn’t have), but Ratatouille's just sat there, untouched since 2007. Oswalt recently explained why on The Daily Beast’s Obsessed podcast, and he wasn’t shy about it. According to him, getting another helping of Parisian rodent cuisine is all down to original director Brad Bird.

Oswalt said he's against that classic Hollywood move of grabbing a notebook, corralling a bunch of creatives, and knocking out a sequel just because it might make money. In his words:

'I don’t want it to come from us going, "Alright, let’s get out the legal pads and let’s break down a sequel."'

Basically, if Brad Bird doesn't wander in one day with an idea that has to be told, Oswalt doesn’t want any part of it. He pointed out that Bird stuck to his guns with The Incredibles—he ignored the clamour for a follow-up until one idea grabbed him and wouldn't let go. Oswalt reckons only Bird has the right creative instincts. If he gets that rare bolt of inspiration, then, and only then, will you see another Ratatouille film.

What Makes a Good Sequel?

Now here's where it gets weird—in a good way. Oswalt doesn’t just want ‘more of the same’. He actually compared the type of sequel he'd want to the likes of Aliens and Terminator 2. You know, the ones that don’t just copy the first film, but properly expand the world and give you a story that’s actually worth turning up for.

• It can’t just coast on nostalgia. Oswalt wants new layers and fresh surprises—'an expansion of the story that we actually need to tell'.
• No soulless cash-grab, thanks. He took a dig at franchise filmmaking by committee, saying if the sequel’s coming from a legal pad rather than a lightning bolt of inspiration, it’s 'inorganic'.
• But yes, he quite likes the pay cheque. Oswalt’s not precious—if there’s a great concept, they’ll 'grab the money', but only by telling 'an amazing story with whole new dimensions that we didn’t even know beforehand'.

To sum up, don’t expect a Ratatouille sequel just because Pixar’s running low on original ideas or Disney wants another franchise. Unless Brad Bird returns with some mind-blowing pitch, it’s not happening.