Disney is working on Inside Out 2, and a formal announcement is anticipated this weekend at the D23 Expo. In 2015, the first Inside Out was favorably welcomed, earning over $800 million worldwide and receiving many positive reviews. Inside Out, considered one of Pixar’s best films, follows Riley, a young girl moving to a new city, as she is guided by five anthropomorphic emotions. Her feelings go through her mind as she deals with the transfer and maturing.
Pete Docter, who directed Inside Out, announced shortly after the movie’s theatrical debut that he had no intentions to make a sequel and was instead focusing on Soul in 2020, an original project. Pixar as a whole has mainly avoided franchise fodder since the release of 2019’s Toy Story 4, with this summer’s Lightyear serving as the studio’s lone out-of-the-blue production during that period. But it seems like Pixar is getting ready to make another sequel, albeit without some important cast members.
According to Puck, Inside Out 2 will be revealed at the D23 Expo, but Mindy Kaling and Bill Hader will not reprise their respective roles as Disgust and Fear. Due to strained talks, it appears like the two won’t be making a comeback. Amy Poehler is earning $5 million for the film, while the rest of the ensemble was only given a $100,000 offer. Disney boosted the offer but to no effect, seemingly continuing the trend of less expensive voice acting.
The recent Disney Emmy Award winner Chip N’ Dale: Rescue Rangers had poor remuneration for its cast, with some actors only appearing in the film as a favor to director Akiva Schaffer, so actors are justifiably suspicious of underpaid productions. Disney will probably need to find additional good voice actors to assist Poehler in place of Kaling and Hader, but that will be difficult to accomplish with a small primary ensemble that has been nearly halved by their departure. It will be fascinating to see whether Disney uses Disgust and Fear’s new voices in Riley’s tale or ignores them entirely.
Fans have been anticipating a sequel since Inside Out’s 2015 release for a while now. It will be welcome to see a sequel to one of the more recent Pixar films while it is still fresh in the audience’s thoughts, despite Pixar’s emphasis on original films. Even if the absence of Kaling and Hader raises questions, Inside Out 2 might provide new emotions to support Poehler’s, and with its impressive cast and capable Pixar crew, it is certain to be a success.