Inside Out 2’s Amy Poehler & Maya Hawke Talk Joy, Anxiety & Spinoff Potential
Summary
The first reactions are in for Pixar’s new movieInside Out 2. Continuing the story of the acclaimed 2015 Pixar film that first anthropomorphized the emotions of Joy, Sadness, Fear, Disgust, and Anger inside the head of young Riley, the sequel follows Riley as she enters puberty and her teenage years, this time adding Ennui, Envy, Embarrassment, and Anxiety to the mix.Inside Out 2is officially set for releaseon June 14.
Where To Watch Inside Out 2: Showtimes & Streaming Status
Pixar’s beloved property has returned, and there are different options for where to watch Inside Out 2, such as in theaters and at home on streaming.
Now,Inside Out 2’s first viewers take to social media to give their reactions to the Pixar film. So far, audiences are raving aboutInside Out 2, calling it a “must-watch” and “fantastic.” Some admitted that the sequel does not quite reach the emotional heights of the firstInside Out, but still maintains a great tone and strong characters throughout. Check out some of the reactions below:
Referring toInside Out 2as a “must-watch” and an “unforgettable cinematic experience,”Landon Johnsonspoke highly of the Pixar sequel. He called the new characters “relatable” and “multi-dimensional” in his praise.
Total Film’sMatt Maytumadmits that the sequel “inevitably lacks the feeling of novelty/surprise of the first,” but ultimately has “several moving moments” and is “really good.”
Brandon Davisechoed Maytum’s statement that the “emotional depth” inInside Out 2did not reach the heights of its predecessor, but still called the movie “quite fantastic.”
Others, includingSkye Roberts, tookInside Out 2to be a hopeful sign for Pixar. This user called the film “a return to form for the Studio.”
@POCculturecelebrated the range of emotions inInside Out 2, saying that it “resonates across all ages” and is both “laugh out loud funny & tear inducingly sweet.”
Carla Renatawas complimentary of the movie overall, but specifically called out Maya Hawke’s vocal performance as Anxiety, calling it “undeniably fabulous.”
Perri Nemiroffpointed out how hard it is to follow upInside Out, but still said that the sequelis “absolutely brilliant.”
Ian Sandwellalso praisedInside Out 2, calling the film “funny, inventive, and affecting.”
Inside Out 2 Is Good For Pixar’s Recovery
Pixar Has Hit Some Rough Patches
Prior toInside Out 2, Pixar had been in somewhat of a slump at the box office. In the last five years, only onePixar movie,Toy Story 4,has reached the coveted $1 billion mark at the global box office. The next highest-grossing film in that period comes far below this, at a lackluster $496.4 million worldwide gross forElemental. However, it is important to note that multiple Pixar movies were released directly to Disney+ initially, and only received limited theatrical releases later.
$434 million
$1.07 billion
$61.5 million
$141.9 million
$946,154
$121.9 million
$1.3 million
$51 million
$21.8 million
$118.3 million
$226.4 million
$154.4 million
$496.4 million
Nevertheless, Pixar has struggled to return to its previous box office heights since the pandemic, and that puts pressure onInside Out 2. The same is true when it comes to critical performance. Pixar’s two most recent movies,ElementalandLightyear,earned more muted reviews when compared to the studio’s past hits. Overall, Disney has been criticized for relying too much on sequels and remakes, and whileInside Out 2is the latter, it seems like the story it is telling is justified.
Also weighing down onInside Out 2is the fact that its predecessor did so well across the board. The film made an impressive $858.8 million worldwide, and garnered a 98% among critics on Rotten Tomatoes. This makes thefirstInside Outnearly impossible to top, but from the sounds of the early reviews,Inside Out 2might just come close.
Inside Out 2
Cast
Inside Out 2 is the sequel to the 2015 original film, which starred a young girl named Riley with a head full of emotions. - literally. With Amy Pohler as Joy, Bill Hader as fear, Mindy Kaling as Disgust, Phyllis Smith as Sadness, and Lewis Black as Anger, the all-star cast brought to life the emotions that adolescents face as they grow, change, and adapt to new situations. This sequel, currently in development, will bring Amy Pohler back as Joy, with Riley, now a teenager.
