‘Inside Out 2’ has surpassed ‘Incredibles 2’ to become the highest-grossing film of all time, according to Pixar.
Disney/Pixar
It’s an emotional day for Pixar and parent company Disney.
On Wednesday, Inside Out 2 passed Unbelievable 2 ($1.242 billion) to become the highest-grossing Pixar title of all time at the worldwide box office, unadjusted for inflation. That puts it at No. 4 on the overall list of highest-grossing animated films, and its climb is far from over, meaning it could eventually reach No. 1.
Inside Out 2 closed Tuesday with global box office sales of $1.251 billion, including $543.5 million in North America, where it is already the third-biggest animated film of all time, and $708 million internationally, where it is the eighth-biggest animated title ever.
The film is set to overtake Walt Disney Animation’s. Frozen ($1.274 billion), and is also almost certain to surpass the earnings of Illumination and Universal The Super Mario Bros. Movie ($1.361 billion). Whether it can overtake the US Frozen II ($1.451 billion) and taking the number 1 title is the biggest question mark, but many believe it can be done.
Inside Out 2 has yet to open in Japan, where the forecast is sunny (it has grossed $49 million in South Korea, a staggering amount that Disney thinks is good for Japan). Across Asia, Europe and North America, the film is being driven not only by families but also by teens and younger female adults who grew up with the first Inside outreleased in 2015.
The sequel is also doing historic business in Latin America. Outside of North America, Mexico leads all markets with a record-breaking $91.5 million, followed by $58.9 million in Brazil. Europe has produced better-than-expected returns, led by $52.4 million in the UK/Ireland, followed by $41 million in Italy. It even conquered the German box office, which is not known for its adoring animation (Germany’s total is $33 million).
Domestic, Inside Out 2 will pass by Super Mario ($575 million) next week on the list of best animated films of all time, leaving only Unbelievable 2 to conquer (that film grossed a maximum of $609 million in North America. Another achievement: it has Christopher Nolan’s The dark knight to reach number 17 on the overall list of highest-grossing films in the country, regardless of whether they are animated or live-action films.
Directed by Kelsey Mann, the sequel introduces a whole new cast of emotions that are brought into the “head” quarters as the story’s young heroine, Riley, becomes a teenager. Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear, and Disgust aren’t sure how to feel about the arrival of Fear, Envy, Boredom, and Embarrassment.
The film has become a cultural talking point about the emotional changes that come with puberty and is seen as a teachable moment by many educators and psychologists.
Inside Out 2which received excellent reviews and a record number of viewers, has broken numerous records since its release in early June, passing the $1 billion mark at the global box office in record time for an animated film, in just 19 days.
The Pixar film is by far the highest-grossing film of 2024 so far, and the first film since Barbie almost a year ago to join the billion-dollar club. Among animated films, it is the 11th film to reach this milestone. Disney dominates that list, claiming eight of those releases, whether they are Pixar or Walt Disney Animation titles.
Inside Out 2 is a much-needed victory for Pixar, which suffered a major setback when three of its films were sent straight to streaming by the previous Disney regime before Bob Iger returned as CEO.
Amy Poehler — who plays Joy — leads the voice cast. The star-studded cast includes Maya Hawke, Kensington Tallman, Liza Lapira, Tony Hale, Lewis Black, Phyllis Smith, Ayo Edebiri, Lilimar, Grace Lu, Sumayyah Nuriddin-Green, Adèle Exarchopoulos, Diane Lane, Kyle MacLachlan, Paul Walter Hauser and Yvette Nicole Brown.
In 2015, Inside out reached a maximum of $858.8 million worldwide.