This summer at the box office, there has been a whirlwind of emotions. The latest animated film from Pixar, “Inside Out 2,” reached a global milestone on Wednesday, surpassing $1.25 billion in earnings. This achievement marks the highest-grossing film in the studio’s history without adjusting for inflation. The movie has garnered $543 million in the United States and $708 million internationally.
Prior to “Inside Out 2,” Pixar’s top-performing film was “Incredibles 2,” which brought in $1.24 billion worldwide in 2018. Pixar, a subsidiary of Disney, has continuously set the bar high for animated films.
“Inside Out 2” has emerged as the most successful film of 2024 and currently ranks as the fourth highest-grossing animated movie of all time. It follows behind “Frozen” (2013), “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” (2023), and “Frozen II” (2019). The film’s financial success is expected to soar as it debuts in more countries, including Japan.
This 28th installment from Pixar delves back into the life of Riley as she navigates the challenges of turning 13, dealing with puberty, and confronting a new emotion — anxiety. Directed by Kelsey Mann, the star-studded cast features voice talents such as Amy Poehler, Maya Hawke, Tony Hale, Lewis Black, Phyllis Smith, Ayo Edebiri, and Yvette Nicole Brown.
“Inside Out 2” premiered on June 14 to glowing reviews from both critics and audiences, earning an A grade in CinemaScore exit polls. Just like its predecessor, “Inside Out,” which grossed around $860 million globally in 2015, the sequel has been well-received. The film exceeded expectations during its opening weekend, raking in approximately $155 million in the United States and Canada, a remarkable 70 percent higher than projected.
Since the phenomenon of “Barbenheimer” last year, where “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” debuted simultaneously on July 21, the box office has been lackluster, with no film reaching the same status as Greta Gerwig’s hit or Christopher Nolan’s award-winning release. “Inside Out 2” has stepped in to fill this void, becoming the first film to surpass the billion-dollar mark since “Barbie.” This success is crucial for Pixar, which faced challenges during the pandemic when audiences shifted to staying at home. Following the release of “Onward” in theaters on March 6, 2020, Pixar’s subsequent movies — “Soul,” “Turning Red,” and “Luca” — bypassed theatrical releases and premiered directly on Disney+.
Last year, Pixar’s original film “Elemental” had a slow start but managed to turn things around, ultimately earning approximately $500 million worldwide.
