Inside Out 2has taken a long time to come to fruition sinceInside Outpremiered in 2015. But last year, the sequel was officially unveiled at D23 in September. Amy Poehler got on stage with director Pete Docter and proudly announced the production ofInside Out 2.It’s strange that it’s taken so long sinceInside Outdid so well in 2015. It even won the Oscar for Best Animated Picture in its year. But, now the wait is over, or it will be in 2024, asInside Out 2finally takes to screens.
Amy Poehler was certainly very joyful when she revealed that Disney and Pixar wouldbe making a sequel. The crowd roared as she stood on stage and told the world that everyone’s favorite emotions would be back for another adventure inside Riley’s head. Docter also announced that there would be some changes in the crew this time around, as he passes the torch to a different director. As Disney and Pixar get ready to dive deeper into the world of emotions and mental health, here is everything we know aboutInside Out 2.
Update July 03, 2025: This article has been updated by Jessica Peerez with more information regarding the highly-anticipatedInside Out 2following the release of the teaser trailer for the film.
The Plot of Inside Out 2
Inside Out 2
Inside Out 2 is the sequel to the 2015 original film, which starred a young girl named Riley with a head full of emotions. - literally. With Amy Pohler as Joy, Bill Hader as fear, Mindy Kaling as Disgust, Phyllis Smith as Sadness, and Lewis Black as Anger, the all-star cast brought to life the emotions that adolescents face as they grow, change, and adapt to new situations. This sequel, currently in development, will bring Amy Pohler back as Joy, with Riley, now a teenager.
One ofPixar’s best movies,Inside Out, famously set itself up for a sequel all those years ago, and now it seems thatInside Out 2has plans to follow through on those promises. At the end ofInside Outwhen Riley’s troubles are finally resolved, Joy sees a big button that says “Puberty” on it, and for a moment, she’s tempted to press it. In the sequel, it looks like this group of emotions is going to be back, but this time, inside the mind of a teenager.
Poehler went on to explain that the movie would be going deeper, adding that the filmmakers would be exploring mental health. Talking toPeoplein November 2022, Poehler said:
“We’re going to have what it feels like to be a teenager, the new emotions that live inside a young person’s brain,” she said. “In many ways, it was really exciting. We knew exactly where we were. We go to the teen brain and we see the madness that lives inside there.”
It seems as thoughInside Out 2has a lot on its plate. Addressing the mental health of a teenager is more complicated territory than dealing with the troubles of a child. IfInside Out 2is going to look at how mental health also takes a physical toll, then the filmmakers must be ready to deal with some big problems.
Inside Out 2’s Teaser Trailer
Giving fans a glimpse into the plot of the sequel, an officialteaser trailer forInside Out 2was released by Pixar on July 17, 2025. The trailer carried the warning that “things are getting messy,” and honestly, viewers could expect nothing less from a film that promises to delve into the emotions of a teenager.
The trailer shows Riley celebrating her thirteenth birthday with her parents and introduces viewers to emotions they are already familiar with from the first movie;Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear, and Disgust. However, chaos ensues when construction workers barge in, demolishing the space and leaving the emotions extremely confused. It is only when the emotions get their bearings that, much to their apprehension, they realize a new and unfamiliar emotion, Anxiety, is among them.
As the trailer reveals, Anxiety is not the only emotion that Riley will be grappling with as she enters teenhood. Joining the newly introduced Anxiety are the emotions Envy, Ennui, and Embarrassment. However, these will most likely not be the only new emotions that we will be seeing in the sequel, as Pete Docter has revealed that there will be up to 27 new emotions joining the cast inInside Out 2.
The Cast and Crew of Inside Out 2
Inside Out 2will be making some changes to its cast and crew. Pete Docter announced that he would not be directing this movie but rather would be giving the position to Kelsey Mann. Mann is mostly known for his work as a storyboard artist but has directed some shorts for Pixar. He most recently worked as a creative consultant for the television seriesMonsters at Work. By all accounts, this will be his first big directorial project. Despite the change in directors, the sequel is sticking with its original producer, Mark Nielsen.
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But returning from theInside Outcast will be some recognizable voices. Docter and Poehler announced at D23 that Meg LeFauve, writer of the original movie, had returned to work on the sequel. Many of the cast members are also making a return, including Amy Poehler as Joy, Phyllis Smith as Sadness, and Lewis Black as Anger. Diane Lane will also be reprising her role as the voice of Riley’s Mom.
Stepping away from the sequel are Mindy Kaling and Bill Hader, who played Disgust and Fear, respectively, in the first movie. They will reportedly not be joiningInside Out 2due to contractual disputes. Taking their places are Tony Hale, who will be the voice of Fear, and Liza Lapira, who will take over Disgust from Kaling. Voicing newcomer Maya Hawke will play Anxiety. At the moment, the new emotions have not been announced.
Inside Out 2’s Release Date
Inside Out 2will have its theatrical release on July 17, 2025, nearly nine years after the release of the first film. It is likely that the film will make its way onto Disney+, similarly to its predecessor, after exhausting its theatrical run. The summer release date makes for perfect blockbuster positioning, and the sequel is sure to bring in impressive numbers.
The movie was originally set to be one of two Pixar films released in 2024, similar to how in 2015Inside Outwas released the same year asThe Good Dinosaur. However, the other Pixar film originally set for 2024,Elio, was delayed to August 11, 2025. Now,Inside Out 2is the only Pixar film for 2024, and right now, due to many delays on the Disney schedule is one of the biggest movies the studio has scheduled for the summer 2024 movie season.
