Pixar's Looking To Pluck Heartstrings Again With Inside Out 2
Pixar fans have received the news they've been waiting for, as the studio's 2015 film, "Inside Out" will be getting a sequel, as announced by Disney D23 on Friday, September 9. "Inside Out" follows the life of Riley (voiced by Kaitlyn Dias) a young girl whose personified emotions do their best to help her adjust to her new life following her family's move from Minnesota to California. Directed by Pete Docter and also featuring the voices of Amy Poehler, Phyllis Smith, Mindy Kaling, Bill Hader, and Lewis Black, the film became an enormous success for Pixar and is still often considered to be one of their best. At the box office, the film earned a worldwide gross exceeding $850 million and was placed as one of the year's highest-grossing films (via Box Office Mojo). "Inside Out" became a critical darling with a 98% Tomatometer score on Rotten Tomatoes. The film went on to be nominated for two Academy Awards, with a nod for best original screenplay and a win for best animated feature (via IMDb).
Since the film's release, fans of the tear-jerking animated drama have been clamoring for a sequel, feeling as though there was more to explore as Riley grew up. The chances of a follow-up materializing seemed slim, especially when Pixar announced that they would focus on original content following 2019's "Toy Story 4" (via The Playlist). But the sequel is now official, and there are a few things we know about it at the moment.
Inside Out 2 is missing a few names from the first
According to Amy Poehler, who will be returning to the "Inside Out" sequel as Joy, the film will see Riley experience a new set of emotions as she grows into her teenage years, according to Deadline. Helming the sequel will be Pixar veteran Kelsey Mann, who previously acted as a story artist and supervisor at the studio. Returning to the follow-up are screenwriter Meg LeFauve and producer Mark Nielsen. Along with Poehler, other returning cast members include Phyllis Smith as Sadness and Lewis Black as Anger, as well as Kaitlyn Dias as Riley along with Diane Lane and Kyle MacLachlan as her mother and father.
Two notable names not set to return, however, are Mindy Kaling and Bill Hader, who voiced Disgust and Fear respectively in the original film (via Polygon). It is not yet known if the project will be released theatrically or straight to streaming on Disney+ as some of Pixar's last few releases have been.
The announcement for "Inside Out 2" is one of many from Pixar for this year's D23 event. Along with the highly anticipated sequel, Pixar also gave fans a look at their next film, "Elemental," which is slated for release on June 16, 2023, and set to be helmed by "The Good Dinosaur" director Peter Sohn, and the sci-fi comedy "Elio" starring America Ferrera (via The Hollywood Reporter). The studio will also be diving into the world of long-form series on Disney+ with the upcoming show, "Win or Lose."