Summary
Inside Out 2has done phenomenally at the box office, but this only makes me more worried thatPixar’s newest upcoming project won’t be able to hold up. The production company has really struggled in recent years, so the billion-dollar success of its 2024 sequel was desperately needed. However, this isn’t to say that Pixar is free and clear. It will have to prove that its studio still has new ideas that are worth something or risk eventually falling into obscurity.Inside Out 2will have bought them some time, butEliowill be the movie to prove whether Pixar is really back on top.
Pixar has had a tough few years. Prior toInside Out 2, the studio’s last big hit wasToy Story 4(2019), which, luckily, released before the COVID-19 pandemic made Hollywood success much harder to achieve. Each of the subsequent animated movies released by the studio failed to bring in enough money to fully justify their existence, and Disney CEO Bob Iger admitted to being “exhausted and overwhelmed” at the continued failures. So, a new plan of action was set into place, which included therelease ofInside Out 2in 2024 and a new project,Elio, in 2025.
Pixar’s Elio: Release Date, Cast, Story, Trailer & Everything We Know
Elio is a Disney and Pixar collaboration heading to theaters in 2025, and here’s everything we know about the upcoming family film.
Inside Out 2’s Success Sets The Bar Even Higher For 2025’s Elio
All Eyes Are On Pixar To Prove Itself - Inside Out 2 Will Be The New Standard
It seems the first step in Pixar’s comeback plan has succeeded, and I am deeply relieved to see it.Inside Out 2had a great chance of success after 2015’sInside Out, but there were still various ways the movie could have gone wrong. I was happy to sit in theaters and experience the kind of magical and emotional film Pixar is known for, though with a newly discovered sense of silliness that the studio had lost in recent movies. It’s thanks to this and more thatInside Out 2managed to break $1 billion globally after only a couple of weeks in theaters.
Pixar has proven that it’s still capable of greatness, so all eyes will be on the upcoming 2025 film to continue the upward trend.
Inside Out 2’s global earnings have come with a few records, too. It’s the first movie of 2024 to join the billion-dollar club, and it’s now one of only 11 animated movies in history to do so. These are the types of achievements we’ve come to expect from Pixar, and it could certainly be a sign that the studio is back on track. However,now thatInside Out 2has done this, the expectations forEliowill be even higher. Pixar has proven that it’s still capable of greatness, so all eyes will be on the upcoming 2025 film to continue the upward trend.
We Know Pixar Sequels Can Be Successful, But The Studio Must Prove Its New Ideas Work
Elio Will Be The Real Test Regarding Pixar’s Big Comeback
Elio, which is slated to hit theaters in 2025, is Pixar’s newest project, with an entirely fresh idea and brand new characters. This means that this film will determine whether the studio has made the necessary changes to be successful. The success ofInside Out 2is a great sign, but there was never much question about Pixar’s sequels.Incredibles 2,Finding Dory, andToy Story 4were all massively successful, but Pixar can’t survive on sequels alone. It will eventually run out of content without successful, fresh ideas, soEliois the actual test for Pixar’s future.
Inside Out 2($1.04 billion*)
Elemental($496.4 million)
Toy Story 4($1.1 billion)
Incredibles 2($1.2 billion)
Luca($51 million)
Finding Dory($1.03 billion)
Onward($141.9 million)
- After two weeks in theaters - not final box office result.
Why Elio Might Not See The Same Success As The Inside Out Franchise
It Wouldn’t Be Fair To Expect Elio To Perform As Well As Inside Out 2
SinceInside Out 2and other Pixar sequels have surpassed $1 billion at the global box office, this may become an assumed benchmark for future movies' success. However, this expectation isn’t quite fair.Inside Outwas hugely popular and still came in under the billion-dollar mark. IfElioreally grips audiences with a great story and fun concept, it could feasibly do spectacularly. However,the 2025 film is still unlikely to come close to the $859 million thatInside Outmade at the global boxofficewhen it was released in 2015.
Eliois Pixar’s take on science fiction, and this means it very well could stand out to audiences. However, the theaters aren’t what they were back whenInside Outwas released. COVID-19 has had a lasting impact on theatrical turnout across the board—not just for animation. This means that we may have to give Pixar some grace ifEliodoesn’t come close to the success of theInside Outfranchise. It doesn’t mean the studio isn’t on the up and up. Instead, the movie may be the next step in the right direction (rather than the destination).
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.
