Inside Out 2 - Release Date, Cast, Plot, Trailer And More Info
"What if [X] had emotions?" It's a template Pixar used to massive success with "Toy Story" and has returned to time and time again ever since. It was probably inevitable then that the studio would make a film with the premise, "What if emotions had emotions?" The result was 2015's "Inside Out," and you know what? It's pretty darn great.
Pixar's animated hit examines the inner workings of the mind of Riley, an 11-year-old hockey-loving girl whose world is completely upended after her family moves across the U.S. from Minnesota to San Francisco. However, we as viewers get to experience this not just through Riley's eyes but through those of the personified emotions guiding her brain — Joy, Sadness, Fear, Disgust, and Anger. For a film with such a heady setup, "Inside Out" is as crowd-pleasing as they come, combining rib-cracking laughs and tear-jerking drama (RIP Bing Bong) with dazzlingly colorful visuals of Riley's inner landscape (like personality traits that manifest as floating islands with themes such as "Goofball").
The movie ends with Riley turning 12 and a tease of what's to come, from her newfound sense of personal fashion to her boy band phase. With "Inside Out 2" now on its way to becoming a reality, does that mean we'll finally get to visit "Tragic Vampire Romance Island" ourselves? Here's what we know about the sequel so far.
When does Inside Out 2 premiere?
Things were looking pretty dire for Pixar for a while there. After Disney sent three of its films directly to Disney+ in a row in response to COVID-19, the studio's "Toy Story" spinoff "Lightyear" bombed hard at the box office in 2022. Thankfully, its next film, "Elemental," overcame a slow start to become one of the biggest animated hits of 2023, ensuring that Pixar will continue to have a home on the big screen for the foreseeable future.
The House of Mouse has since affirmed its commitment to releasing future Pixar films exclusively in theaters prior to their streaming premiere. Hence, you'll have to make the trip to your local multiplex to see "Inside Out 2" when it opens on June 14, 2024 (either that or be patient and wait a few months for it to make its way to Premium Video On Demand and Disney+).
Who is the cast of Inside Out 2?
So, here's where things get awkward. Amy Poehler is set to reprise her role as Joy for "Inside Out 2," but Disgust actor Mindy Kaling and Fear actor Bill Hader are not returning for the sequel. According to Puck (via Vulture), Kaling and Hader passed after being offered a mere two percent of Poehler's salary ($5 million "plus additional fees and bonuses"). Co-stars Phyllis Smith (Sadness) and Lewis Black (Anger) were reportedly offered the same deal as Kaling and Hader but have chosen to return.
Stepping into the role of Fear is "Arrested Development" and "Veep" star Tony Hale, while Liza Lapira of "Don't Trust the B—- in Apartment 23" and the "Equalizer" TV series voices Disgust. As for the new emotions moving into Riley's mind, Maya Hawke of "Stranger Things" and "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" fame will play Anxiety, Ayo Edebiri of "The Bear" and "Bottoms" will voice Envy, Paul Walter Hauser of "Black Bird" and "I, Tanya" will play Embarrassment, and Adèle Exarchopoulos of "Passages" and "Blue Is the Warmest Color" will portray Ennui.
The rest of the supporting cast is populated with plenty of talented names. Kyle MacLachlan and Diane Lane will return as Riley's mom, with the young teen now being voiced by Kensington Tallman ("Drama Club"). We've also got Frank Oz and Dave Goelz of Muppets fame, as well as long-time Pixar voice actor John Ratzenberger. Additionally, you'll hear actors like Yvette Nicole Brown ("Community"), June Squibb ("Nebraska"), Paula Pell ("Girls5eva"), comedian Paula Poundstone, and "SNL" stars Bobby Moynihan and James Austin Johnson.
What are the plot details of Inside Out 2?
"Inside Out 2" will pick up where its predecessor left off, following Riley as she navigates her "terrible teens" on her way to adulthood.
Speaking to The Wrap in February 2023, "Inside Out" director Peter Docter (who is currently Pixar's Chief Creative Officer) talked about how, while researching the first movie, he and his creative team learned humans experience somewhere between "five to 27 emotions." As such, the sequel will introduce a number of new emotions into the mix in an effort to "be a little bit more truthful and broadening [the scope]," as Docter put it.
As for who those emotions will be, prepare to meet Anxiety, Envy, Embarrassment, and Ennui. As these more sophisticated feelings take up space in Riley's head, they actually decide to bottle up Joy and her companions, forcing our heroes to escape and find their purpose in the strange new world of the teenage mind.
Is there a trailer for Inside Out 2?
The teaser trailer for "Inside Out 2" starts off peacefully enough, with Michael Giacchino's heartstring-tugging piano theme and Joy incredibly content with the way things are going in Riley's life. "Our little girl's growing up so fast," she narrates, "and things couldn't be better." That's when the emotions are roused from their sleeping by a beeping alarm on their control console. To the strains of Ozzy Osbourne's "Crazy Train," a demolition crew suddenly appears, replacing the old console with a new orange one. This signals the arrival of Anxiety, who hints that more emotions are on the way.
In the first official trailer for "Inside Out 2," we meet those new characters — the big-eyed Envy, the perpetually bored Ennui, and the sweaty-palmed Embarrassment. Wanting Joy and her cohorts out of the way, Anxiety and her crew bottle our heroes up, prompting them to break free and head out on a new journey. In the rest of the trailer, we get a brief yet hilarious glimpse of the emotions inside Riley's mom, who suddenly realize they'll be dealing with a teenager for the next several years. Joy also comes across the Sar-Chasm, a massive canyon that transforms her voice into one that's bitingly sarcastic. What other obstacles will be in her path as she works her back to headquarters? We'll find out on June 14.
Who is the director of Inside Out 2?
With Pete Docter keeping busy overseeing all of Pixar, Kelsey Mann will take over directing duties on "Inside Out 2." Prior to joining Pixar, Mann was a storyboard artist on animated series like "Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends," "Star Wars: The Clone Wars," and "Ultimate Spider-Man." He would go on to serve as a story supervisor on the films "Monsters University," "The Good Dinosaur," and "Onward," in addition to acting as a creative consultant on several other Pixar projects.
During his interview with The Wrap, Docter confirmed it was Mann who came up with the idea for an "Inside Out" sequel. In his own words:
"It was really poignant and very heartfelt, very personal to him, but also universal. ... It's got a real great heart to it, a really great core that is central to some of these new emotions showing up. It's all connected."
Who are the writers and producers of Inside Out 2?
"Inside Out 2" is being scripted by Meg LeFauve based on Kelsey Mann's original pitch. LeFauve has evolved into one of Pixar's most trusted writers over the last decade, penning "Inside Out" and "The Good Dinosaur" as well as the story for "Onward." She also wrote Netflix and Cartoon Saloon's acclaimed animated fantasy adventure film "My Father's Dragon" and received story credit for her efforts on Marvel Studios' "Captain Marvel." As for other people working behind the camera, while he won't be directing the film, Pete Docter will still serve as a producer on "Inside Out 2," joining the likes of Pixar veteran Mark Nielsen (who got started with the studio as a modeling and shading coordinator on "A Bug's Life" and "Toy Story 2" in the '90s).