Inside Out 3 Gets Thrilling Update (But When Will It Debut?)

According to Dave Holstein, who co-wrote Inside Out 2, early plans are underway for a third movie in Pixar’s popular Inside Out franchise. During an interview at the 2025 Saturn Awards where Inside Out 2 was nominated for Best Animated Film, he mentioned that while they are still basking in the success of the sequel, there have been preliminary talks about another installment. Holstein is confident that Inside Out 3 will indeed come to fruition and hinted at potential additional films beyond that.

Holstein responded with “Yes, to a small extent” when asked about the prospect of Inside Out 3. Essentially, he’s still enjoying the success of the second film but is confident that a third, and ideally more sequels, from four through eight, could be produced for Inside Out in the future.

The screenwriter hinted at potential plotlines for future films, emphasizing the necessity of altering the main concept as the character, Riley, grows up. He explained, “In each new film, it’s important that the game changes, and with sequels, you want the core to change fundamentally.” He continued, “The beauty of making Riley the driving force behind this series is that she’ll move into a new phase of her life where the foundation will indeed shift.

Launched during the previous summer, “Inside Out 2” was among the top box office sensations in 2024. Not only did it garner extensive positive reviews from critics, but it also raked in a staggering $1.6 billion globally, claiming the title of the highest-grossing film of that year. Similar to its first installment, “Inside Out 2” received multiple honors, including an Oscar nomination for the Best Animated Feature category.

As I walk the red carpet for “Inside Out 2,” I can’t help but feel a thrill at the thought of more journeys inside Riley’s remarkable mind. In my past conversations, I’ve shared that there are countless facets of Riley’s life yet to be uncovered, which means introducing fresh emotions with each new chapter as she navigates college and beyond into adulthood.

It’s no wonder that Pixar is reportedly starting on the next installment of Inside Out. In this post-pandemic period, the studio has experienced a mix of successes and setbacks at the box office. For instance, Lightyear underperformed with global earnings of $226.4 million against a production budget of $200 million, while Elemental managed to recover from a sluggish start to earn $496.4 million worldwide. However, these figures pale in comparison to Pixar’s output before 2020. Inside Out 2 was a remarkable hit that harkened back to the studio’s glory days, establishing it as one of Pixar’s most valuable franchises. With such a successful series under their belt, it would be financially unwise for Pixar not to release another film, but the creators also recognize that a third movie isn’t worthwhile unless there’s a compelling narrative. Luckily, Pete Docter has some intriguing concepts in mind, as exploring an older Riley could potentially lead to another heartwarming and engaging storyline.

While I’m as eager as you are for the potential third installment of “Inside Out,” it seems we’ll need to exercise our patience for a few more years. The studio’s calendar is jam-packed; next year, we can look forward to the premieres of “Hopper” and “Toy Story 5,” with “Incredibles 3” also in development. Disney has reserved one release date in 2027 for a Pixar film, but it’s uncertain whether that will be “Inside Out 3.” At this point, discussions about the sequel have been quite minimal.

Given the studio’s upcoming projects, we might have to wait until the 2030s to catch up with our favorite emotions again, as there’s no official announcement yet. I know it’s frustrating to wait, but I’d rather see a fantastic film that takes its time than a hastily made sequel that falls short of expectations.

2025-03-01 04:10

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