Inside Out 2 Release Date, Cast, Plot, Trailer And More Details
"Inside Out" remains one of the highest-ranked entries in Pixar's library of animated gems. The 2015 computer-animated feature follows a young girl named Riley (Kaitlyn Dias) who struggles to adapt after her family moves to a new state. This is explored through the personified emotions living in her head, who aim to help her ease into a new lifestyle.
Stunning animation, a stellar voice cast, and a richly nuanced narrative that delves into the importance of keeping our emotions in balance made "Inside Out" into another acclaimed title under the Pixar banner. The film managed to gross over $857 million worldwide and won the Academy Award for best animated feature, along with receiving an additional nomination for best original screenplay.
Now, nearly a decade after its release, "Inside Out" will finally be receiving a sequel. As a follow-up to one of Pixar's most prestigious titles, the film has a lot to live up to. What can we expect from this new outing? We can sum it up in one word: adolescence. Let's take a look at everything we know about "Inside Out 2."
When will Inside Out 2 be released?
"Inside Out 2" is currently slated for release on June 14, 2024, nearly nine years after the June 19 opening of its 2015 predecessor. This delay hasn't dimmed audiences' enthusiasm; according to a Fandango poll, "Inside Out 2" is one of the most highly anticipated movies of 2024. Talk of an "Inside Out" sequel began as early as 2016, with director Pete Docter telling Entertainment Weekly, "Well see if anything turns up. To me it's not as simple as we liked it, so let's make another one. What happens is you design these characters not so much looks wise but as they are as characters and people for a story. So we'll explore it and see what happens."
The film was officially announced at the 2022 D23 Expo in September. It was not the only new Pixar project to be revealed during the event, as the multi-Oscar-winning animation house also shared plans for its upcoming original 2025 film "Elio" and the Disney+ original series "Win or Lose." The next few years are shaping up to be a generally busy year for Disney, with anticipated projects such as the "Snow White" remake, "Mufasa: The Lion King," and "Captain America: Brave New World" all expected to accompany Pixar's forthcoming slate.
What is the plot of Inside Out 2?
The first "Inside Out" puts a unique spin on the coming-of-age genre, chronicling the inner workings of a child's mind. The premise of "Inside Out 2" is a natural extension of this: It will see Riley's emotions tackle her teenage years and the new collection of feelings they bring.
Tackling puberty was just too good of an idea to pass up, as director Kelsey Mann told Empire (via The Direct): "This is a gold mine for everything we love at Pixar ... It's got heart. It's got emotion. It's got humor. Puberty is hilarious, but it's also a hard time in our lives." The end of the first film teases this concept as Riley's emotions are given a new control panel with a puberty button. While mostly played for laughs, the "Inside Out 2" teaser trailer expands this idea into a vision of outright chaos. A demolition crew literally smashes their way into Riley's mental control center to make room for new emotions, led by the frazzled Anxiety.
As Mann put it, "Anxiety ... might be new to the crew, but she's not really the type to take a back seat." He later told Empire that Anxiety is particularly aligned with social anxiety, which colors so many people's adolescent experiences. The orange emotion will be joined by Embarrassment, Ennui, and Envy, with the four taking control of HQ and forcing Joy and her friends to figure out how to help Riley next.
Who is starring in Inside Out 2?
One of the main draws of "Inside Out" is its top-notch voice cast of A-list comedians. Happily, many of them will be returning for the sequel. First and foremost, there's Amy Poehler, who will reprise the lead role of Joy. Phyllis Smith, Lewis Black, and Diane Lane will also be back as Sadness, Anger, and Riley's mom, respectively. Notably, Mindy Kaling and Bill Hader, who portrayed Disgust and Fear in the first movie, will be replaced by Liza Lapira and Tony Hale. TV fans might recall Lapira for her sterling performance in searing crime drama "Unbelievable," while Hale has earned major acclaim as Buster Bluth on "Arrested Development," Gary Walsh on "Veep," and Forky in "Toy Story 4."
What about the new emotions set to take up space in Riley's head? Maya Hawke will portray Anxiety, with Hawke's performance seemingly every bit as self-conscious and wincing as you'd expect the personification of anxiety to be. Viewers who love Hawke for her performances in "Stranger Things," "Asteroid City," and "Do Revenge" are ready to enjoy another star turn from this dazzling actor. She'll be joined here by Ayo Edebiri of "The Bear" as Envy, Paul Walter Hauser of "Black Bird" as Embarrassment, and Adèle Exarchopoulos of "Blue Is the Warmest Color" as Ennui. Diane Lane and Kyle MacLachlan return as Riley's parents, with Kensington Tallman ("Drama Club") playing a teenage Riley. We can also expect to hear the vocal talents of Muppeteers Dave Goelz and Frank Oz, Pixar mascot John Ratzenberger, Paula Pell ("Girls5eva"), June Squibb ("Nebraska"), Bobby Moynihan ("Saturday Night Live"), and comedian Paula Poundstone, among others.
Who is directing Inside Out 2?
Taking over directing duties from Pete Docter for "Inside Out 2" is Kelsey Mann, making it his feature debut. Mann has some big shoes to fill, as Pete Docter's work at Pixar — which includes "Monsters Inc.," "Up," and "Soul" — remains some of the studio's most revered. However, Mann is no stranger to the Pixar way, having been part of the operation for over a decade.
Before his time at Pixar, Mann's career encompassed a number of animated projects, primarily for television. He worked in the storyboarding department on series like "My Gym Partner's a Monkey," "Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends," "Ultimate Spider-Man," and "Star Wars: The Clone Wars." His first project for Pixar was 2013's "Monsters University," which saw Mann graduate from story artist to story supervisor. The spin-off short film "Party Central" marked Mann's debut as a director and writer; it played in theaters alongside 2014's "Muppets Most Wanted."
Afterward, Mann acted as a story supervisor on "The Good Dinosaur" and also co-wrote its story. In 2020, Mann served again as story supervisor on Pixar's fantasy comedy "Onward." Beyond this, he's held additional creative positions on projects such as "Lightyear" and the Disney+ series "Cars on the Road" and "Monsters at Work."
Who is writing and producing Inside Out 2?
Returning from the first "Inside Out" to helm the screenplay for its sequel is Meg LeFauve. She was one of three credited screenwriters on the original alongside Pete Docter and Josh Cooley; all three received an Oscar nomination for their work on the film. Notably, "Inside Out" was LeFauve's first major writing credit. She followed it up by serving as sole screenwriter on Pixar's "The Good Dinosaur," then journeyed to a different part of the Disney empire to work as a co-story writer on "Captain Marvel."
Recently, LeFauve returned to animation as a screenwriter and executive producer on the Netflix and Cartoon Saloon collaboration "My Father's Dragon." She and fellow Pixar alum Lorien McKenna launched the podcast "The Screenwriting Life with Meg LeFauve and Lorien McKenna" in 2020, which currently has over 150 episodes delving into all aspects of their field.
Mark Nielsen will produce "Inside Out 2." Nielsen has a lengthy history with Pixar, beginning in the lighting and modeling departments on films like "A Bug's Life" and "Monsters Inc." He served as an associate producer on "Inside Out," then co-produced "Toy Story 4" with Jonas Rivera. Since then, Nielsen's producing credits have been largely confined to the studio's shorts and streaming output. Most recently, he acted as an executive producer on the short film "Carl's Date."
Is there a trailer for Inside Out 2?
In the official trailer for "Inside Out," everything seems to be going great for Riley's four big emotions. Their girl is turning 13, she's killing it on the hockey court, and it's all smooth sailing from here on out. And that's when Anxiety, Envy, Ennui, and Embarrassment show up and take control of Riley's brain.
We watch as the new emotions literally bottle up Joy and company, forcing our heroes to escape and go on a new adventure where they encounter obstacles like the Sar-Chasm, which can morph your voice into one dripping with — yep, you guessed it — sarcasm. There's also an incredibly funny bit where we see what's happening with Riley's mom, and her emotions are none too excited about Riley's teenage turn. In short, the trailer promises a fun and — yes — emotional journey as Joy, Sadness, Fear, and Disgust try to find their new place in a changing world.