Inside Out 2 is a great example of what a movie that proportionately excels in all aspects of filmmaking could do to a film's success. Sure, it already had an established fanbase, but that alone wasn’t what made it shine. From a filmmaking perspective, it checked all the boxes—a good storyline that gave the audience a rollercoaster of emotions, great animation, character development, touching dialogues, and most importantly, emotional resonance. Like, for instance, the film explored mental health in a way that felt real, showing how anxiety can take over a human and even giving us the most accurate portrayals of a panic attack in animation. It also reminded us that no emotion is truly bad—each one exists to protect us, even if some emotions feel frightening sometimes. And as we grow, experiencing both familiar and new emotions is just part of being human.
And, of course, it absolutely crushed it at the box office, crossing the $1 billion mark and securing its place as one of the biggest animated hits ever. Undeniably, deep down, every fan is aware that a threequel will be made in the future after the film's success. But is it currently in development? Well, Inside Out 2 writer Dave Holstein has the answer for that.
In a recent interview with The Direct, he revealed that they already had "minimal" brainstorming talks about the making of a threequel. However, currently, they are enjoying the success of Inside Out 2, but he remains sure that another sequel is sure to be made. He also assured, "But I have no doubt that at some point a third, and hopefully, in my opinion, four through six, seven, eight, Inside Out should happen." Given this statement, fans can finally get pumped up about what Pixar has to offer for Inside Out future installments.
In addition, he also revealed what fans could expect for the threequel and what they, as writers, are planning for their lead character, Riley. "And what's great about having Riley be the engine of this franchise is that she's going to enter a different chapter of her life where the foundation does change. The things you want in life change, and who you are changes. Your sense of self changes. You know, it's a fascinating thing from a writer's perspective; you're given new fodder to create something cool."
While Holstein has given the idea of a threequel a stamp of approval, Disney and Pixar are yet to make an official confirmation. Hope that it will happen soon.