Pixar’s Monsters, Inc. was released in cinemas in 2001. Disney distributed the animated feature theatrically, and it became Pixar’s fourth feature film after Toy Story, A Bug’s Life, and Toy Story 2.
The film opened in the United States on November 2, 2001. Its story introduced audiences to Monstropolis, a city powered by children’s screams, and to the central friendship between top scarer James P. Sullivan and his assistant, Mike Wazowski.
Its release followed several years of production work, including the development of new methods for animating Sulley’s long blue fur. The character’s fur was a significant technical challenge because each hair had to move convincingly as he walked, ran, and interacted with other characters.
The year can be confused with 2013, when Pixar released Monsters University, a prequel about Mike and Sulley’s college years. Monsters, Inc. itself is the earlier film and establishes the characters’ working lives at the energy company.