Some original cast members might not return for Inside Out 2, which could actually be a good sign for the sequel. Pixar officially announced an Inside Out sequel at D23 2022 following reports that one was being considered. The original 2015 movie was a huge hit and is traditionally part of the conversation for the best Pixar movie ever. However, there are reports that Mindy Kaling and Bill Hader will not return for Inside Out 2 and reprise their roles as Disgust and Fear, possibly due to low salary offers from Disney to return.
Disgust and Fear are two of the five primary emotions featured in Inside Out, but the movie revolved around Joy (Amy Poehler) and Sadness (Phyllis Smith). Riley’s emotions also included Anger (Lewis Black), but he was a supporting emotion with Disgust and Fear. The reports that Mindy Kaling and Bill Hader might not return for Inside Out 2 are surely disappointing, as both of them embodied these emotions perfectly. There is one potential bright side of this development that could directly tie to Riley growing up and her changing emotional state.
The reported low salary offers for Kaling and Hader could point to Disgust and Fear playing smaller roles in Inside Out 2, potentially because new emotions are joining the sequel. It not only makes sense that the Pixar movie would want to add new characters for merchandising, but this actually works perfectly for the movie’s story. It has been confirmed that Inside Out 2 will follow Riley as a teenager as she navigates the difficulties that come with puberty and growing up. Disgust and Fear are certainly emotions that teenagers still have, but Inside Out 2‘s missing cast members could help open the door for new emotions to play prominent roles.
New Emotions Inside Out 2 Can Include
Inside Out 2 adding new emotions and characters could see Pixar revisit some earlier ideas for the first film. During the development of Inside Out, a handful of emotions were meant to appear before being cut. Some emotions considered to appear originally included Irritation, Pride, Envy, Greed, Despair, Gloom, Depression, and Love. It would not be too surprising to see Pixar give Inside Out 2 new emotions from this list. Depending on the specific emotional story that Riley goes on in the sequel, it is easy to envision how many of the scrapped characters could now resurface and become major characters.
The focus on Riley’s teenage life could easily see Love be one of Inside Out 2‘s new emotions. The first movie briefly teased the idea that she could soon begin liking someone, but the sequel could now fully explore Riley’s romantic hopes and see Love gain access to the reaction console in her head. Pixar could also potentially use Inside Out 2 to address mental health and depression in teens by adding Depression to the mix, while Irritation or Envy could also work for a teen-angst portion of the story.
