A potential Inside Out 3 can introduce new emotions, which are entirely possible thanks to a key detail in Inside Out 2. The Inside Out sequel introduces new emotions in Riley’s brain just as she begins puberty. These emotions include Anxiety, Envy, Embarrassment, and Ennui. Inside Out 2 got two of the new emotions wrong, but Envy and Ennui still work and play essential roles in Riley’s head. Furthermore, Riley still grows as a person as she enters a different stage in her life. Her brain adapts to new emotions as she grows.

One emotion that the narrative briefly introduces in Inside Out 2 is Nostalgia, but the other emotions push her back inside a room when she emerges. It is too early for Nostalgia to officially enter Riley’s brain as an independent, developed emotion. Nevertheless, Nostalgia’s short scenes are enough to establish a critical detail: Riley has more emotions hidden inside her that viewers have not seen yet. An Inside Out 3 movie is the perfect opportunity to bring them to life as Riley continues to mature.

Nostalgia’s Early Arrival Suggests More Emotions Are Waiting To Emerge

Nostalgia’s Existence Proves Riley Has More Undiscovered Emotions Inside Her

Inside Out 2 introduces Nostalgia as a new emotion in Riley’s brain, bringing the count to ten altogether. However, the other emotions quickly push Nostalgia back into the room she came from whenever she tries to introduce herself. Both of Nostalgia’s scenes are simple, lighthearted moments, but they propose something much bigger: Riley has more missing emotions hidden inside her head, and they are waiting for the right time to emerge. If Nostalgia is in a back room somewhere, waiting for the right moment to appear, there must be even more emotions waiting to introduce themselves.

Inside Out 3 Will Almost Surely Add New Emotions To Riley

Inside Out 2 Opened The Door To New Emotions For Riley

If Disney Pixar decides to make Inside Out 3, the narrative will surely add more emotions to Riley’s brain. It is also the natural path to take, considering that Riley is only beginning puberty and still has much more to discover within herself. Furthermore, the Inside Out franchise has proven that existing emotions continue to develop over time. An emotion can represent a particular feeling, but it does not necessarily mean they will always act or be like this feeling. For example, Joy represents Riley’s happiness, which is generally associated with goodness.

However, Joy is antagonistic in Inside Out, especially toward Sadness. In Inside Out 2, Joy takes it upon herself to throw away “bad memories,” diminishing the importance of other emotions. Both of these instances portray Joy as a nastier person, even though she is supposed to represent happiness. Sadness is generally at the bottom of the barrel, but she saves the day in both films. Even Embarrassment has his moments in the spotlight and overcomes what he represents. Inside Out 3 would introduce new emotions while continuing to develop the ones viewers already know.

Which Emotions Riley Should Get Next After Inside Out 2

Beyond The Scope Of Anxiety, Envy, Embarrassment, And Ennui

Inside Out introduces the primary emotions: Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear, and Disgust. Inside Out 2 further expands Riley’s emotions by introducing Anxiety, Envy, Ennui, and Embarrassment. While the newer emotions are their own entities, they connect to the main five. For example, Anxiety is a derivative of Fear, while Embarrassment has ties to Sadness and Anger, depending on the situation. Therefore, Inside Out 3 should introduce more emotions that connect to the main five. Other than Nostalgia, one crucial emotion that Riley has not experienced is grief.

Sadness encompasses grief, but the former is a general emotion; people feel sadness for many reasons. Grief is a specific type of sadness that deals with devastating loss. Although Joy leads Riley’s brain, none of the emotions introduced so far come from her. Serenity and humility are great options that can stand by themselves and retain a clear connection to Joy. One last emotion that Inside Out 3 can use as a main storyline is love. All the emotions in this franchise portray various types of love, but Riley has yet to experience romance, which could be its own emotion.

Although Inside Out 3 has a lot to work with because of the framework Inside Out 2 provides, Disney Pixar should not rush the sequel. Currently, there are no plans for Inside Out 3, and Pixar should craft an excellent story before moving forward. If Pixar decides to make Inside Out 3 without a solid and compelling storyline, it does not matter how many or which emotions they introduce. Without a good story, the film is essentially doomed. Disney Pixar must take its time creating Inside Out 3 so that audiences truly enjoy new emotions yet to come.