 Monsters University is a 2013 American 3D computer @-@ animated comedy film produced by Pixar Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures . It was directed by Dan Scanlon and produced by Kori Rae , with John Lasseter , Pete Docter , Andrew Stanton and Lee Unkrich as executive producers . It is the fourteenth feature film produced by Pixar and is a prequel to 2001 's Monsters , Inc . , marking the first time Pixar has made a prequel film . 
