When audiences sit down to watch the new Pixar film, they aren’t just expecting to see a beautifully animated movie that blends heart and humor to tell a poignant story. They’re also curious to see what Easter eggs will be featured. It’s become common practice for Pixar movies to have fun nods and references that pay homage to cinematic history and Pixar itself. These can be connections to the real-world filmmakers behind the scenes (see: all the A113 mentions) or even teases of what’s to come in the future (a Finding Nemo toy in Monsters, Inc.). These Easter eggs are such a prevalent part of the Pixar experience that some people believe they aren’t a mere coincidence.
Most Pixar fans are probably aware of the famous Pixar Theory, which posits that all of the studio’s films take place in the same universe. This has not been officially confirmed as canon, but with each passing movie, viewers become more and more convinced that it could be true. And if it is, it means one of the best Pixar characters met a rather unfortunate end.
The Pixar Theory Implies Remy Is Dead
Image Courtesy of Pixar
One of Pixar’s most iconic films is 2007’s Ratatouille, which famously tells the inspirational story of Remy, a rat who loves to cook. Like most Pixar releases at the time, it earned widespread critical praise (winning the Oscar for Best Animated Feature) and was a box office hit ($623.7 million worldwide), but unlike other Pixar successes, Ratatouille never received a follow-up. However, some believe Remy made a dark return to the big screen in 2015’s Inside Out, where he appears to be dead.
At the beginning of Inside Out, young Riley has trouble adjusting to her family’s move to San Francisco. Among the things she’s disgusted by is a dead rodent tucked away in the corner of her new home. While the deceased creature is explicitly referred to as a mouse by Disgust, the design bears a striking resemblance to Remy. The similarities become clearer during the nightmare sequence, where viewers see an exaggerated caricature up close. The color scheme is virtually identical to Remy; the Inside Out rodent has gray fur and pink on its hands, nose, and ears. The takeaway is that Pixar is intentionally trying to evoke memories of the beloved Ratatouille star.
If that’s truly supposed to be Remy, it means one of Pixar’s best characters suffered an extremely tragic fate. Pixar, of course, has never been one to shy away from upsetting and serious topics, but unceremoniously killing off Remy like this seems like a step too far even for them. Ratatouille concludes on such a high, inspirational note, with Remy realizing his dream and becoming a renowned chef. He was a triumphant underdog figure for so many others to look up to. It’s sad that Remy’s story potentially concluded in this way, with him thousands of miles away from France (perhaps he was trying to expand his cuisine empire?), alone in the corner of an abandoned, ratty house.
Before Pixar fans start to mourn Remy, it is again important to keep in mind that the Pixar Theory is not formally canon. Unlike something like the Marvel Cinematic Universe or the DC Universe, Pixar is not envisioned as an interconnected shared universe where all projects share the same continuity. Each film is designed to be a standalone experience meant to be enjoyed on its own merits. Any references to other Pixar projects are just Easter eggs for fans to spot, not actual confirmation of something larger at play. So, while the Inside Out rodent looks like Remy, there’s a chance it’s really just a random mouse (or rat) that met an unfortunate end in San Francisco. Pixar fans would probably prefer that, believing Remy is happily cooking for all of Paris.
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