Ellen DeGeneres Just Announced a New ‘Finding Nemo' Short, and Parents Are Feeling Nostalgic
Disney's Finding Nemo hit the big screen 23 years ago. And now it looks like a new addition to the popular Pixar flick is in the works. Ellen DeGeneresrecently announced that she's returning to the Nemo-verse to reprise the role of Dory. So if you watched the iconic animated flick on repeat with your kiddo two decades ago, get ready to feel nostalgic.
Deadlinefirst broke the news, reporting that Pixar plans to produce an as-yet-unnamed Finding Nemo short. While there's no information on the plot or release date, DeGeneres did appear to confirm the project. The comedian posted a screenshot of Deadline's article on her Instagram page over the weekend, captioning the pic, "Excited about this."
Even though we don't know much about the mini movie, fans of the franchise are already excited about the upcoming addition. One commenter wrote, on Ellen's post, "This is everything…Dory is back!" and another gushed, "This is incredible news."
While most of the comments applauded the new project and praised Ellen's involvement, some had a more cynical take. Following allegations of a toxic workplace in 2020, the former TV host ended her self-titled talk show in 2022. In 2024, DeGeneres addressed the scandal in her Netflix comedy special, For Your Approval, writing on Instagram, "Here we go! To answer the questions everyone is asking me-Yes, I'm going to talk about it. Yes, this is my last special." She also humorously added a cute quip about her wife, "Yes, Portia really is that pretty in real life."
During the 2024 Netflix special, Ellen wove the controversy into her standup script, saying, "A few years ago, I started ending my show by saying, ‘Be kind to one another.' Here's the downside: I can never do anything unkind, ever, now." She also said, "Yeah, you all heard I was mean. Everybody heard that I was mean. Everywhere I go, I know everyone's heard that I'm mean. I know when I walk into a restaurant, people are watching, waiting to see if I'll be mean."
Based on her recent post's comments, some former fans haven't forgotten this scandal. One mused, "Disney's still working with Ellen? Weird," while another wrote a simple, "No thank you."
This project is the first acting role DeGeneres has taken on since she voiced Dory in the 2021 miniseries Pixar Popcorn. The 68-year-old celeb (and her wife, Portia de Rossi) left Hollywood in 2024, moving to the rural Cotswolds in England. As of now, Disney has yet to provide additional information on the new production or DeGeneres' involvement.
Copyright 2026 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved
This story was originally published April 26, 2026 at 11:55 AM.