Will Disney ever release Wreck-It Ralph 3? The movie that would eventually become Wreck-It Ralph was over 20 years in the making at Disney. The concept for an animation set within a video game began brewing back in the late 1980s under the working title High Score. It was revived again in the 1990s as Joe Jump but languished in development hell once more before Emmy-winning The Simpsons director Rich Moore was brought on board and finally got Wreck-It Ralph to the big screen in 2012.
No doubt Disney is glad it pushed ahead with Wreck-It Ralph. Thanks to its heartwarming story, spirited performances from its talented voice cast – especially John C. Reilly as Ralph and Sarah Silverman as his pal Vanellope – and enough retro gaming gags to keep older viewers amused, the film was a huge success and raked in over $470 million worldwide. Six years later the sequel Ralph Breaks The Internet arrived, this time with Moore sharing the director’s chair with Wreck-It Ralph co-writer Phil Johnston. Ralph Breaks The Internet more than lived up to the standard set by the original and was an even bigger hit commercially, banking $529.3 million at the box office.
Judging by the success of both films, a third movie could likely be another huge hit for Disney. But will Wreck-It Ralph 3 ever happen?
Ralph Franchise Directors Don’t Think A Third Film Is Needed
Ralph Breaks The Internet co-directors Rich Moore and Phil Johnston spoke about the likelihood of a threequel with ComicBook in 2018. In Johnston’s opinion, a third film wasn’t necessary as Ralph Breaks The Internet wrapped up the storyline well:
“I feel good about where they’re at … The internet represents the sort of adult phase of their life. And I think Ralph at the end, has matured where he is comfortable in his skin and he will make friends and he and Vanellope will still hang out. And Vanellope is just coming of age, she’s just finding that thing that makes her passionate, and I don’t know.”
That said, Moore and Johnston admitted they’d played around with a few crazy ideas for a threequel like Ralph 3D-printing himself into the real world.
Wreck-It Ralph 3 Probably Won’t Happen
Despite a recent tantalizing rumor spread by We Got This Covered that stated Wreck-It Ralph 3 was in the works at Disney, the likelihood of a threequel is low – at least for the foreseeable future. With upcoming movies like Raya And The Last Dragon, Cruella and an untitled Lin-Manuel Miranda and Byron Howard project cramming up its release slate, Disney has plenty on its plate in the coming years. Add to that directors’ Moore and Johnston feeling pretty satisfied with how Ralph Breaks The Internet concluded, it would seem there aren’t any plans in place for Wreck-It Ralph 3.
However, it could be a case of never say never. It took six years for Disney to release Ralph Breaks The Internet so if Wreck-It Ralph 3 did happen, fans could be looking at a similar wait for a third film. Not to mention, there are lots of as-yet unannounced movies on Disney’s release slate – Wreck-It Ralph 3 could always be one of them.
