In 2003, Finding Nemo introduced us to the much loved character of Dory.

The beloved blue fish with short-term memory loss was voiced by comedian and talk show host Ellen DeGeneres and since then she has been on a somewhat interesting campaign to convince Pixar to release a sequel.

This week at the D23 Expo in California, John Lasseter, Disney’s Creative Chief Officer made this point very clear when he showed crowds a super-cut of all of Ellen’s tireless pleas. He joked that he had eventually given in to the star’s requests and said “We are in production on Finding Dory.”

Speaking to People magazine about the news, Ellen said the film means an awful lot to her personally.

“She’s flawed,” she said of the animated fish, “I think that’s important for kids to grow up and see flawed characters that are loveable.”

She said that she thinks audiences, young and old should see how even though Dory makes “mistake after mistake”, she still has a very supportive group around her that “travel with and forgive her”.

In Finding Dory the plot is set to focus on Dory’s adventure as she tried to find her own family.

Ellen says that the film will reveal how this loss of family has taken a “toll” on Dory despite how she’s tried to act like “everything’s fine.”

The characters of Dory’s parents are to be voiced by Diane Keaton and Eugene Levy. While Modern Family start Ed O’Neil will take on the new character of an octopus and fellow Modern Family alum Ty Burrell will portray Bailey, a beluga whale.

We really cannot wait for this release!