Monsters University

''Monsters University'' is a 2013 American computer-animated monster comedy film produced by Pixar Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures. It was directed by Dan Scanlon (in his feature directorial debut) and produced by Kori Rae, from a screenplay and story written by Scanlon and the writing team of Dan Gerson and Robert L. Baird. John Lasseter, Pete Docter, Andrew Stanton, and Lee Unkrich served as the film’s executive producers. The music for the film was composed and conducted by Randy Newman, making it his seventh collaboration with Pixar. It is a prequel to '' Monsters, Inc.'' (2001), making it the only time Pixar has made a prequel film. ''Monsters University'' tells the story of the main characters of ''Monsters, Inc.'', James P. Sullivan and Mike Wazowski, and their time at college, where they start off as bitter rivals, but slowly become best friends. During the time, they must learn to work together, along with Oozma Kappa members, in order to make their dreams reality and things right. John Goodman, Billy Crystal, Steve Buscemi, Bob Peterson, and John Ratzenberger reprise their roles as James P. Sullivan, Mike Wazowski, Randall Boggs, Roz, and the Abominable Snowman, respectively, while the new cast were joined by Helen Mirren, Alfred Molina, Peter Sohn, Joel Murray, Sean Hayes, Dave Foley, Charlie Day, and Nathan Fillion. Bonnie Hunt, who voiced Ms. Flint in the original film, voices Mike's teacher Mrs. Karen Graves.

Disney, as the rights holder, had plans for a sequel to ''Monsters, Inc.'' since 2005. Following disagreements with Pixar, Disney tasked its Circle 7 Animation unit to make the film. An early draft of the film was developed; however, Disney's purchase of Pixar in January 2006 led to the cancellation of Circle 7's version of the film. A Pixar-made sequel was confirmed in 2010, and in 2011, it was confirmed that the film would instead be a prequel titled ''Monsters University''.

''Monsters University'' premiered on June 5, 2013 at the BFI Southbank in London, England, and was theatrically released in the United States on June 21, 2013. It was accompanied in theaters by a short film, '' The Blue Umbrella'', directed by Saschka Unseld. The film received positive reviews from critics and grossed $743 million worldwide against its $200 million production budget, making it the seventh highest-grossing film of 2013. An animated short film titled ''Party Central'', which takes place shortly after the events of ''Monsters University'', premiered in fall 2013 before being released theatrically with ''Muppets Most Wanted'' in 2014.

Plot

As a first grader, Mike Wazowski begins to dream of becoming a scarer - a monster who enters the human world at night to scare children and harvest their screams for energy to power the city of Monstropolis. Eleven years later, Mike enrolls in the scaring program at Monsters University (MU) and meets classmates Randall Boggs and James P. "Sulley" Sullivan. Abigail Hardscrabble, dean of MU, warns students that anyone who does not pass a final exam at the end of the first semester will have to leave the scaring program.

Throughout the semester, Mike has already begun a friendship with his roommate Randall, while rivalry forms between him and Sulley in the scaring program: Mike studies hard to improve himself, while Sulley relies only on his natural talent and begins to falter. They both attempt to join a fraternity, but only Sulley is accepted into Roar Omega Roar (ROR), the most prestigious house on campus. At the final exam, a fight between the duo inadvertently destroys Hardscrabble’s prized scream canister. Hardscrabble tests them separately and fails them both: Mike for not being scary, and Sulley for his recklessness. They are forced to transfer to a scream canister designing program, much to their dismay.

Wanting to prove himself, Mike signs up for the "Scare Games" and makes a deal with Hardscrabble on the condition that if his team wins, all of the members will be admitted to the scaring program, otherwise, he will leave MU. Mike joins Oozma Kappa (OK), a fraternity of misfits, but they are one member short of being able to enter the competition. Mike attempts to invite Randall who was already accepted into ROR, prompting him to reluctantly accept Sulley's offer to join afterwards.

OK finishes last in the first round but are saved from elimination after another team is disqualified for cheating. During each of the next three rounds, OK steadily improves due to Mike's knowledge of scaring and the others' unique talents. Despite their progress, they face setbacks and humiliation by rival fraternities, and Hardscrabble questions whether Sulley believes that Mike can be an effective Scarer. Although OK has a decisive victory over ROR in the final round, Mike discovers afterwards that Sulley had tampered with the simulator settings to guarantee a win for OK, resulting in Mike berating Sulley for it. The other OK members discard their trophy, ashamed of Sulley for ruining their victory by cheating. Sulley meets with Hardscrabble and confesses that he cheated.

Outraged at Sulley's betrayal and still determined to prove that he can become a scarer, Mike breaks into the school's door lab and enters the human world. He emerges in a summer camp cabin full of children but is unable to scare any of them and flees into the woods. With assistance from the OK members, Sulley sneaks through the door and finds Mike; he admits to Mike that he cheated because he was afraid of failing his team. They reconcile and try to return to MU, but find out that Hardscrabble has deactivated the door.

As human police officers begin to chase Mike and Sulley, Mike realizes that they may be able to power the door from their side. Working together, Mike traps the police officers and Sulley scares them so badly that it manages to power through the door. The duo then return to MU just as it explodes. Mike and Sulley are expelled from MU for their actions, but the remaining OK members are admitted into the scaring program. As Mike and Sulley leave the campus, Hardscrabble admits that they have surprised her and expresses her hope that they will continue to do so in the future. Seeing a "Help Wanted" advertisement for job openings at Monsters, Inc., they decide to apply and are hired to work in the mailroom. Sulley and Mike work their way up to different jobs before becoming a scarer and scare assistant, respectively.

Voice cast

* Billy Crystal as Mike Wazowski, the main character.
** Noah Johnston as Young Mike
* John Goodman as James P. "Sulley" Sullivan
* Steve Buscemi as Randall “Randy” Boggs
* Peter Sohn as Scott "Squishy" Squibbles, an Oozma Kappa fraternity member.
* Joel Murray as Don Carlton, a middle-aged returning student and the founding member and president of Oozma Kappa fraternity.
* Sean P. Hayes and Dave Foley as Terri and Terry Perry, Oozma Kappa fraternity members who share each other's body
* Charlie Day as Art, an Oozma Kappa fraternity member.
* Helen Mirren as Dean Abigail Hardscrabble, the chair of the Scarer program at Monsters University.
* Alfred Molina as Professor Derek Knight, the "Scaring 101" professor for Hardscrabble's Scarer program.
* Tyler Labine as Brock Pearson, Greek Council president who commentates the Scare Games with Claire.
* Nathan Fillion as Johnny J. Worthington III, president of Roar Omega Roar fraternity.
* Aubrey Plaza as Claire Wheeler, Greek Council vice-president who commentates the Scare Games with Brock.
* Bobby Moynihan as Chet Alexander, a fraternity member and vice-president of Roar Omega Roar.
* Julia Sweeney as Sheri Squibbles, Scott's mother.
* Bonnie Hunt as Mrs. Karen Graves, Mike's teacher.
* John Krasinski as "Frightening" Frank McCay, a scarer who inspires a young Mike to follow him into the profession.
* Bill Hader as Referee / Slug
* Bob Peterson as Roz
* John Ratzenberger as The Yeti