Inside Out 2 Can Help Make Pixar A Box Office Powerhouse Once Again

Pixar has been one of the premiere names in animation ever since the first "Toy Story" released in 1995, changing the game forever. Disney's beloved animation company was also one of the true Hollywood box office titans, with pretty much everything Pixar touched turning to gold, though "The Good Dinosaur" serves as a rare exception to the rule. Unfortunately, the pandemic changed all of that, and Pixar has had a rough time recovering, with "Lightyear" bombing badly after several of the studio's originals went straight to Disney+. "Inside Out 2" aims to change the narrative next weekend and bring the studio back to its dominant place at the top of the box office charts.

Director Kelsey Mann's sequel is currently eyeing an opening weekend in the $75 to $94 million range, per Box Office Theory. Even on the low end, that would be an exceptional start for the film. Nine years ago, director Pete Docter's original "Inside Out" opened to $90.4 million on its way to $356.9 million domestically and a whopping $858 million worldwide. The fact that its sequel is expected to open in a similar range (on the high end anyway) is frankly quite encouraging.

Competition doesn't figure to be much of a factor here as "The Garfield Movie" and John Krasinkski's "IF" will likely be running out of gas. The following weekend sees Jeff Nichols' long-delayed "The Bikeriders" and "The Exorcism" arriving, both of which won't be getting in Pixar's way, as they are going for a radically different, smaller audience. We don't have another family-friendly animated film entering the fold until "Despicable Me 4" on July 3, which gives Disney's presumed crowd-pleaser a lot of runway to do its thing.

Pixar's latest sequel returns to the mind of Riley, now a teenager, as Joy (Amy Poehler), Sadness (Phyllis Smith), Anger (Lewis Black), Fear (Tony Hale), and Disgust (Liza Lapira) must contend with a changing operation as new emotions, such as Anxiety (Maya Hawke) arrive in Riley's mind and shake things up. The cast sees Amy Poehler return as Joy, though Bill Hader and Mindy Kaling are not reprising their roles as Fear and Disgust, respectively. The new cast also includes "The Bear" favorite Ayo Edebiri, comedian Ron Funches, "I, Tonya" co-star Paul Walter Hauser, and more.

While full reviews haven't yet dropped for "Inside Out 2," /Film's Ethan Anderton was impressed by the first 35 minutes of the film during a press event. The crowd at CinemaCon also responded kindly to the same chunk of footage back in April. Pixar, above all else, has long been associated with quality, with a ridiculously great track record spanning nearly three decades. Audiences haven't forgotten that, it's just that they need to be reminded that these are movies worth heading to the theater for.

Disney sent "Luca," "Soul," and "Turning Red" directly to Disney+ at no additional cost to subscribers due to the pandemic. Unfortunately, that seemingly did a lot to devalue the brand. "Lightyear" had a host of problems, but the fact that it topped out at $226 million worldwide was very troubling. When "Elemental" opened to just $29.6 million last summer, things seemed truly bleak. However, that film had a miracle turnaround and legged it out to $496.4 million worldwide. "Elemental" even became the highest-grossing Hollywood original of the pandemic era.

Fortunately, Disney kept the movie in theaters for an extended time before bringing it to VOD and, eventually, Disney+. CEO Bob Iger recognized the error of their ways regarding Pixar and the Mouse House seems committed to rebuilding the brand as a theatrical concern. It's early, but this looks like it can be a step in the right direction regarding that mission.

"Inside Out 2" hits theaters on June 14, 2024.