Pixar wants a big win with ‘Inside Out 2’

Pete Docter, Pixar’s Chief Creative Officer since 2018, recognizes the high stakes for Inside Out 2 (releasing today), especially given the animation studio’s recent struggles with commercial and critical success.

Docter, a long-time Pixar veteran with hits like Up and Monsters Inc., under his belt, faces the challenge of maintaining Pixar’s reputation two decades into its existence.

The Disney-acquired studio’s recent original films like Turning Red, Luca and Soul failed to resonate as broadly as older Pixar classics like Toy Story.

The pandemic further complicated matters, as a majority of these films were released directly to Disney+, making it difficult to lure audiences back to theaters.

Recent Pixar releases like Lightyear and Elemental also underperformed at the box office.

As a result, Pixar is shifting focus back to proven hits like Inside Out. The studio will focus on spinoffs and sequels instead of original concepts.

The second installment is expected to be a major box office success, potentially reviving family attendance in theaters during a challenging year for the industry. Box-office revenue is down 26% this year from 2023, per Comscore.

If it fails, Pixar may need to rethink its business strategies drastically, says Docter. The animation studio recently laid off 14% or roughly 175 of its employees, marking its biggest staff cut in history.