Pixar Introduces New Emotion, Anxiety
Trend Indexing: Guess Joy is hard at work for Pixar fans, because “Inside Out 2” has just dropped its first trailer.
“Inside Out 2” is the sequel to 2015’s animated coming-of-age film “Inside Out.” The first film centered on 11-year-old Riley (Kaitlyn Dias) and the five emotions in her brain, led by a star-studded cast: Joy (Amy Poehler), Sadness (Phyllis Smith), Disgust (Mindy Kaling), Fear (Bill Hader) and Anger (Lewis Black). In the sequel trailer, a new emotion is introduced: the frazzled, orange Anxiety.
In “Inside Out,” after moving from Minnesota to San Francisco, Riley fails to adjust well to her new surroundings. Coupled with the turbulent experience of growing up, she finds herself in dire emotional straits and eventually risks losing not only her friends but also her family altogether.
“Inside Out” follows Joy and Sadness embarking on an adventure through Riley’s mind, where they must figure out how to work together to make Riley settle into her new home and come to terms with the many emotions she’s feeling.
Back when it was first released, “Inside Out” received glowing reviews from critics and audiences alike, even receiving the 2016 Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.
“’ Inside Out’ blows [other Pixar films] away, going beyond the screen to become something audiences will carry around for the rest of their days,” film critic Peter Debruge wrote for Variety. He called the film “an elegant and iconic visual metaphor for understanding [audiences’] own emotions, and empathizing with others’.”
The sequel was first announced in 2022 at Disney’s D23 Expo. Kelsey Mann directs, while Meg LeFauve, who co-wrote the first film, serves as writer for the second film as well.
“Inside Out 2” is set to release in theaters on June 14, 2024, almost nine years after the first film.