Pixar sees box office joy for Inside Out 2 after sting of unsuccessful releases

Hollywood’s summer movie anxieties gave way to joy this weekend with the massive debut of Disney and Pixar’s “Inside Out 2.” The animated sequel earned $155 million in ticket sales from 4,440 theaters in the U.S.and Canada, according to studio estimates Sunday.Not only is it the second-highest opening weekend in Pixar’s 29 years of making films and the second-biggest animated opening ever (behind only the $182.7 million launch of “Incredibles 2” in 2018); It’s also the biggest of 2024, and since “Barbie.” With an estimated $140 million from international showings, “Inside Out 2” had a staggering, and record-breaking, $295 million global start.Tony Chambers, who heads theatrical distribution for Disney, was confident that the film would do “extremely well.” But even he was surprised at how much it exceeded already high expectations.“People go to the theaters for great movies,” Chambers said.

“The reviews, the word of mouth just helped build this momentum … It’s becoming a bit of a phenomenon.”Importantly, “Inside Out 2” audiences spanned ages and all demographics.Post-COVID, he said, breakout successes depend on attracting multicultural audiences.The success is significant for Pixar, marking a much-needed return to form for a studio that has had a string of underwhelming launches including “ Elemental,” which did eventually become a success, and “ Lightyear,” which didn’t.

It’s also vitally important for the greater Hollywood ecosystem and the health of theatrical exhibition, which had been running at a 26% deficit.“Everybody needed this because success begets success,” said Chambers, who has been getting excited calls from exhibitors and fellow studios alike.“It’s great for the industry, great for Pixar and great for the business overall.”Disney was already having a good summer, with “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes,” which this weekend was in third place in its sixth weekend with $5.2 mil...