Disney and Pixar’s animated sequel “Inside Out 2” achieved an impressive $155 million in its opening weekend, surpassing the year’s previous top openers, “Dune: Part Two” ($82.5 million) and “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire” ($80 million). This marks the largest debut since last July’s “Barbie,” which earned $162 million. The sequel to the 2015 hit “Inside Out” had been expected to bring in between $80 million and $90 million.
Internationally, “Inside Out 2” also made a significant impact, grossing $140 million and breaking the record for the largest animated opening overseas, previously held by “Frozen 2” ($135 million). The film performed exceptionally well in Latin America, where it achieved the second-highest opening of all time, just behind “Avengers: Endgame.” Globally, “Inside Out 2” has amassed $295 million, setting a new benchmark for animated debuts in comparable markets. The production cost for the film was $200 million.
This success is a major boost for theaters that have been struggling through a disappointing summer. It is also a significant victory for Pixar, which has faced challenges at the box office in recent years as several of its films were released directly on Disney+ during the pandemic. Pixar’s chief, Pete Docter, noted that this strategy had conditioned audiences to watch their movies at home, affecting the performance of theatrical releases like “Lightyear” and “Elemental.”
However, “Inside Out 2” demonstrates that families are eager to return to theaters for Pixar’s unique storytelling. This debut is the second-largest in Pixar’s history, surpassing “Finding Dory” ($135 million) and “Toy Story 4” ($120 million), and only trailing “Incredibles 2” ($182 million). The original “Inside Out” opened with $90.5 million and went on to earn $356 million domestically and $858.8 million worldwide, winning an Oscar along the way.
This weekend was the first in 2024 to exceed $200 million in total box office sales across all titles, reducing the year’s deficit from 26% to 23.8%, according to Comscore. Upcoming summer releases like “A Quiet Place: Day One,” “Despicable Me 4,” and “Deadpool & Wolverine” will attempt to build on this momentum.
Imax CEO Rich Gelfond is optimistic, noting that “Inside Out 2” exceeded some projections by nearly 50% and enjoyed substantial viewership on Imax screens, contributing $14.5 million globally. He believes this strong start signals a robust post-strike recovery for the film industry.
“Inside Out 2,” directed by Kelsey Mann, who makes his feature debut, has been well-received by critics and audiences alike. The film follows a teenage Riley, introducing new emotions like Anxiety (Maya Hawke), Envy (Ayo Edebiri), Embarrassment (Paul Walter Hauser), and Nostalgia (June Squibb) as she navigates summer camp. It holds an “A” CinemaScore and a 92% Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
As the only new release this weekend, “Inside Out 2” easily claimed the top spot at the box office, dethroning “Bad Boys: Ride or Die.” The fourth installment of Sony’s buddy-cop series, featuring Will Smith and Martin Lawrence, earned $33 million in its second weekend, bringing its North American total to $112 million and its global total to $214.6 million.
Disney and 20th Century’s “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” secured third place with $5.2 million in its sixth weekend, amassing $157.8 million domestically and $374.5 million worldwide, making it the year’s fourth-highest-grossing film.
Sony’s “The Garfield Movie” dropped to fourth place, earning $5 million in its fourth weekend. Its North American total stands at $78 million, with a global tally of $217 million, against a production budget of $60 million, marking it as a profitable venture for Sony and Alcon Entertainment.
Paramount’s “IF,” directed by John Krasinski and starring Ryan Reynolds, added $3.4 million in its fifth weekend, reaching $100.9 million domestically and $173 million globally. Despite its $110 million budget, “IF” has gradually improved its box office performance.
