Growing up can be chaotic, and no sentiment is truer for Pixar’s leading lady, Riley Andersen, as she turns the page from child to teenager and faces high school head-on in the all-new film Inside Out 2. At the helm inside Riley’s mind is the ever-optimistic Joy, who has established herself as the leader of Riley’s emotions but her role is rivaled by a comedic lineup of new, more complex emotions who want a turn in charge.
As we eagerly anticipate Inside Out 2, we encourage you to approach the new movie respectfully and responsibly. Nine years is a long time to wait for a sequel, but accessing the film before its release is illegal and can cause a whole host of problems for you, your data, and the content creators who worked hard to bring the new film to you.
Whether you’re heading to the theater or waiting for the streaming release on Disney+, we have all the info you need to know before watching Inside Out 2.
Everything You Should Know Before Seeing Inside Out 2
Inside Out 2 is the animated sequel to 2015’s Inside Out, which followed an 11-year-old girl named Riley as she and her family relocated from her small childhood town in Minnesota to San Francisco. However, with the magic only Disney and Pixar can provide, the film takes place largely inside Riley’s head, where colorful, personified emotions — Joy, Sadness, Anger, Disgust, and Fear — do their best to maintain the status quo inside the “Headquarters” of Riley’s mind while the whole infrastructure of her internal being begins to change and crumble.
In the chaos, Riley’s core memories — enchanting orbs that hold her fondest and most important recollections — are sucked out of Headquarters. Without them, Riley cannot access the most profound parts of her personality.
Hilarity and pandemonium ensue as Joy and Sadness are forced to team up to retrieve the core memories and return them to their rightful place. In true Pixar fashion, the film packs an emotional punch as it explores themes of loss, loneliness, change, and family in ways that both adults and children can enjoy.
The new film, Inside Out 2, takes place several years later as Riley enters high school and Headquarters makes room for new emotions — Anxiety, Envy, Ennui (aka Boredom), and Embarrassment — much to the dismay of Joy and the others.
Do I Need to Watch Inside Out in Order to Understand Inside Out 2?
While you can enjoy Inside Out 2 without watching the original Inside Out, it’s best to familiarize yourself with the characters of the original before being introduced to the new cast of personalities in the sequel. Plus, with Inside Out holding such acclaim from critics and audiences alike, there’s no reason not to watch it.
The first film is available to stream with a subscription to Disney+. There are also options to buy or rent Inside Out through Apple TV, YouTube, Google Play Movie, Amazon Prime Video, and Vudu.
Kelsey Mann
Kelsey Mann is stepping into the large shoes left by Inside Out directors Pete Docter and Ronnie del Carmen. The original film won the Oscar for Best Animated Feature at the 88th Academy Awards in 2016 and was nominated for Best Original Screenplay, losing to Spotlight.
Mann is no stranger to Disney, holding directorial and writing credits for the Monsters Inc. short Party Central in 2013, along with animation and crew credits on The Good Dinosaur, Lightyear, and Elemental.
Movie Plot
Riley is growing up. After a traumatic move from Minnesota to San Francisco, her emotions — Joy, Sadness, Disgust, Fear, and Anger — have learned that when they come together, they can create stronger, deeper memories for Riley and give her a more powerful sense of self.
Then, with high school on the horizon, the five emotions are shocked as their Headquarters is demolished to make way for four newcomers: Anxiety, Envy, Ennui, and Embarrassment. Joy and the others must find their place among the new cohort before the turmoil jeopardizes Riley’s relationships and future.
Deeper Analysis, Speculation and Spoilers
While the original film did not have an antagonist in the traditional sense, as the conflict largely stemmed from circumstances, this may not be the case for Inside Out 2. The new character of Anxiety may fill the villain role.
One of the most notable pieces of evidence is that, in the trailer, the five original emotions are shown trapped inside a glass jar. While this is played for laughs at the pun of being “suppressed emotions,” it may be part of a much longer storyline of Anxiety’s ambitions.
Despite an awkward and anxious appearance, there are several other clues in the film’s official trailer that she may have nefarious intent. Her burnt orange coloration is indicative of belligerence in color theory, and she insists that Riley should make new friends in high school — with the implication being that she forgo the friendships made during and after the events of the first film.
Lastly, there is a brief moment in the trailer where Anxiety is shown on a large screen overlooking a room of workers. This is deeply reminiscent of other shadowy figures across Hollywood.
Given the target audience of the new film, it is likely that Riley will learn how to manage her anxiety in a healthy way by the end of the film.
Genre
IMDb has listed Inside Out 2 as animation, adventure, and comedy — which are the exact tags it used for the original film. That means fans of the first movie are in store for more of everything they loved, dialed up to a whole new level.
Runtime
Inside Out 2 is set to have a runtime of 1 hour and 40 minutes, which is roughly the same as the original.
Rating
Inside Out 2 has a PG rating for some thematic elements, just like the original.
Theatrical Release Date
The animated film will be released across the U.S. on June 14, 2024, exclusively in theaters.
Streaming Options
Inside Out 2 will be exclusively released in theaters. Once its theatrical run is complete, Inside Out 2 will be available to stream on Disney+. Be wary of any site offering streaming access during the film’s theatrical run or for free on any platform besides Disney+. We have identified illegal streaming sites that may try to trick you or lie about their legitimacy.
Accessing sites with unauthorized content is illegal and could jeopardize your data or the integrity of your device. Be sure to learn how to spot an illegal streaming site and help keep yourself out of harm’s way.
Inside Out 2 Trailer
Join Joy, Sadness, Disgust, Fear, and Anger as they navigate Riley through school and relationships — until a variety of anxious, disinterested, and envious newcomers arrive and upset the finely tuned status quo.
Voice Cast & Crew
Fans of the original Disney/Pixar film will be thrilled to know that, even nearly a decade later, the bulk of the original cast is returning to provide the voices of the beloved emotions and characters for Inside Out 2. Chief among them is Amy Poehler, who returns as the voice of Joy. Phyllis Smith will be reprising her role as Sadness, and Lewis Black will return as Anger.
Disgust and Fear, however, originally voiced by Mindy Kaling and Bill Hader respectively, will be voiced by Liza Lapira and Tony Hale.
Check out the full voice cast below and all the brand-new characters:
- Amy Poehler: Joy
- Phyllis Smith: Sadness
- Lewis Black: Anger
- Tony Hale: Fear
- Liza Lapira: Disgust
- Maya Hawke: Anxiety
- Ayo Edebiri: Envy
- Adèle Exarchopoulos: Ennui
- Paul Walter Hauser: Embarrassment
- Kensington Tallman: Riley Andersen
- Diane Lane: Riley’s Mom (Mrs. Andersen)
- Kyle MacLachlan: Riley’s Dad (Mr. Andersen)
- Lilimar: Valentina “Val” Ortiz
- Yvette Nicole Brown: Coach Roberts
- Dave Goelz: Subconscious Guard Frank
- Frank Oz: Subconscious Guard Dave
The crew includes:
- Director: Kelsey Mann
- Writers: Dave Holstein, Meg LeFauve
- Producers: Pete Docter, Jonas Rivera, Dan Scanlon, Mark Nielsen
- Composer: Andrea Datzman
- Production Companies: Walt Disney Pictures, Pixar Animation Studios
How To Stream Inside Out 2
Inside Out 2 will be released exclusively in theaters, but you can watch the first movie now on Disney+. After its time in theaters, the sequel is sure to be available on Disney+ as well.
If you love animated movies like Inside Out as much as we do, be sure to take a dive into our resources. We can help you find out where your favorite movies are streaming, which streaming services and websites are legal, and which streaming sources to avoid. No matter your taste in movies, we are here to help you find what you like without resorting to nefarious websites or illegal platforms. Your safety and data security are always our top priority.
