DORY. ©2013 Disney•Pixar. All Rights Reserved.

By a Front Row Features Staff Reporter

HOLLYWOOD—The long-awaited sequel to the Oscar-winning Disney/Pixar animated feature “Finding Nemo” is on its way.

“Finding Dory” tells the story of Nemo’s friend, a beloved but forgetful blue tang fish voiced by Ellen DeGeneres. It is scheduled to swim into theaters November 25, 2015.

“I have waited for this day for a long, long, long, long, long, long time,” said DeGeneres in a statement. “I’m not mad it took this long. I know the people at Pixar were busy creating ‘Toy Story 16.’ But the time they took was worth it. The script is fantastic. And it has everything I loved about the first one: It’s got a lot of heart, it’s really funny, and the best part is—it’s got a lot more Dory.”

Director and Pixar veteran Andrew Stanton, who helmed “Finding Nemo,” will take audiences back to the colorful undersea world in the sequel.

“There is no Dory without Ellen,” said Stanton. “She won the hearts of moviegoers all over the world—not to mention our team here at Pixar. One thing we couldn’t stop thinking about was why she was all-alone in the ocean on the day she met Marlin. In ‘Finding Dory,’ she will be reunited with her loved ones, learning a few things about the meaning of family along the way.”

According to Stanton, “Finding Dory” takes place about a year after the first film, and features returning favorites Marlin, Nemo and the Tank Gang, among others. Set in part along the California coastline, the story also welcomes a host of new characters, including a few who will prove to be a very important part of Dory’s life. It was unclear at press time if other voice talent from the original animated feature would return for the sequel such as Albert Brooks, who gave voice to Nemo’s concerned father Marlin, or Alexander Gould as Nemo.

“Finding Nemo” won the 2003 Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. The film was nominated for Best Writing, Original Screenplay, Best Music, Original Score and Best Sound Editing as well. In 2008, the American Film Institute named “Finding Nemo” among the top 10 greatest animated films ever made. At the time of its release, “Finding Nemo” was the highest grossing G-rated movie of all time. It’s currently the fourth highest grossing animated film worldwide.

DeGeneres, of course, hosts her syndicated talk show, “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” which is in its 10th season and has earned 38 Daytime Emmy Awards. Over the years, the comedienne frequently mentioned on her show a desire to reprise her role as Dory, who helped rescue the missing young clown fish in the 2003 original.