The emotional storytelling powerhouse Pixar has crafted its most relatable film yet, thanks to its character updates for Inside Out 2. Based on what is known about the upcoming Inside Out sequel, the movie will provide what made the original so popular in the first place: a captivating and unique take on the human psyche through the use of anthropomorphized emotions. A now 13-year-old Riley is experiencing the realities of becoming a teenager as new emotions are introduced, leading to serious growing pains.
When the “Puberty Alarm” rings in the teaser trailer for Inside Out 2, it is clear that all hell is about to break loose. In comes a team of construction cells to tear apart the headquarters and make room for new emotions. While difficult for Riley to deal with, these new characters make for a relatable coming-of-age story that will have older audience members reminded of their own experiences and younger ones feeling seen.
Inside Out 2 Is Including Characters Like Anxiety
Audiences were first introduced to Riley as an 11-year-old girl who was having a hard time with her family’s big move that took her away from her beloved home and friends. Riley struggled with the emotions that came with this big life change, and now she is in for another one as she begins puberty and enters her teenage years in Inside Out 2. With this transformation comes new and more complex emotions that Riley must learn to navigate. The trailer confirmed that one character joining the emotion lineup is the wild-eyed Anxiety. Anxiety is seen coming into Riley’s psyche with a lot of physical and metaphorical baggage.
Although Anxiety is the only confirmed new character, a number of others were teased in the initial trailer. Anxiety delivered the line “We wanted to make such a good first impression,” indicating that there was more on the way. Envy, Ennui, and Embarrassment were all hinted at through the text that cycled through on the screen in the trailer. These characters all stand to add to the relatability of the film and are ones that are usually not explored in animated films.
The Inside Out Sequel’s Lineup Promises To Be More Relatable Than Ever
Given what is known about Inside Out 2‘s new characters, the film is shaping up to be Pixar’s most relatable yet. What makes it feel realistic is that the movie isn’t sugarcoating the teenage experience but is instead highlighting that it can come with a slew of difficult and new emotions that can be hard to deal with. It is set apart by the fact that it tackles one of the most transformative and difficult periods in a person’s life with an authentic lens. What makes Inside Out 2 even more relatable for its viewers is that it highlights that, although it is a very complicated stage, it does pass, and things get easier.
Being a teenager can come with more extreme emotions than any other life stage, and the film acknowledges this by showing in Inside Out that Riley’s adult parents don’t possess a separate Anxiety emotion. It seems as though it evolved and fused with other emotions, highlighting that things get easier, and people are able to get a better grasp on their emotions as they get older. While Pixar is known for crafting beautiful stories that tackle the realities of the human experience, such as Up and Toy Story, Inside Out 2 seems to be painting a picture that is its most authentic and realistic yet.
Inside Out 2
- Release Date:
- 2024-06-14
- Director:
- Kelsey Mann
- Cast:
- Amy Poehler, Tony Hale, Maya Hawke, Liza Lapira, Lewis Black, Phyllis Smith, Diane Lane
- Genres:
- Adventure, Comedy, Animation
- Writers:
- Meg LeFauve
- Studio(s):
- Disney
- Distributor(s):
- Disney
- prequel(s):
- Inside Out
- Franchise(s):
- Disney
