Now, “Inside Out 2” has set its sights on another record: the highest-grossing animated film of all time. It currently sits behind Disney’s original “Frozen” film ($1.285 billion), Illumination and Universal’s “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” ($1.361 billion), and Disney’s “Frozen II” ($1.453 billion).
The film could surpass Frozen and Super Mario , though it’s unclear whether it will claim the crown. The film has grossed $48 million in South Korea, which could be a sign of how it will do in Japan, where it has not yet been released, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
“Inside Out 2,” a sequel to the 2015 film about a young girl named Riley and her emotions, which are seen as characters that help shape her decisions, saw a domestic opening weekend of $155 million, exceeding expectations. After two weekends, it was the highest-grossing film of 2024 worldwide, according to Disney.
Pixar’s latest hit isn’t the only animated film to enjoy box office success this summer. Universal and Illumination’s “Despicable Me 4” has grossed more than $240 million since its June 30 premiere, making for another family-friendly film that’s managed to captivate audiences. Both films were released during the summer holidays and as sweltering temperatures continue to heat up parts of the country.
“Inside Out 2” has been a hit with critics. The film currently holds a 91 percent critics’ rating and a 96 percent audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and an “A” on CinemaScore, which calculates scores based on audience reactions to films shortly after their release. The film has continued to spark discussions about how people deal with their emotions, what it’s like for teenagers to experience puberty and angst, and how adults deal with emotions like sadness, joy and nostalgia (all of which become characters in the film).
The deep run of “Inside Out 2” is welcome news for Pixar, which has had a losing streak with its box office releases. In 2020, “Onward” struggled to gain traction as theaters closed due to the pandemic. Pixar’s “Elemental,” set to hit theaters in 2023, was one of the company’s lowest box office openings ever (though it has recovered somewhat over time). “Lightyear,” a spinoff of the “Toy Story” franchise, also failed to impress critics.
Pixar has announced a renewed focus on successful franchises for its comeback tour. In June, company president Jim Morris told Bloomberg that “Inside Out 2” would be a good test to see if legendary franchises have a place in Pixar’s arsenal. That said, the studio’s next film, scheduled for 2025, is “Elio,” an original film about a boy who becomes an ambassador for Earth.