The Stakes Are High For Pixar With 'Inside Out 2'
Image Source: IGN
Pixar’s anticipated sequel Inside Out 2 opens in theaters on June 14 and its box office could seal the fate of the animation studio. In an interview with Time, Chief Creator Officer Pete Docter shared the studio’s difficulty staying afloat in recent years. Part of the studios’ troubles came from Disney’s decision to expedite their films to streaming shortly after their theatrical release. However, other films like Turing Red and Luca, which focused on specific and often autobiographical stories failed to inspire a universal audience. Docter explained, “A lot of people say, ‘I totally thought toys came to life when I wasn't in my room.’ ‘I totally believed there were monsters in my closet.’ We're still rummaging around for things like that, but it's harder and harder to find as we're into our 28th movie.”
Docter added that people are more likely to see the sequels because they see characters they recognize, and they already know they like the characters. He said, “Part of our strategy is to try to balance our output with more sequels. It’s hard. Everybody says, ‘Why don't they do more original stuff?’ And then when we do, people don't see it because they're not familiar with it. With sequels, people think, ‘Oh, I've seen that. I know that I like it.’ Sequels are very valuable that way.”
RELATED:
Image Source: Moviefone
The interviewer mentioned the summer box office has a lot riding on Pixar’s sequel and so does Docter. He agreed, “I can't imagine having a better chance at a big box office than this because it's a known movie and characters that meant something to people and a really funny cast—and hopefully something meaty at the heart of it that you can take home as well. So if this doesn't do well at the theater, I think it just means we're going to have to think even more radically about how we run our business.”
The film has a 100-day window in the cinemas, so it has time to grow if the opening day doesn’t perform well although early reports from the global box office show a strong opening trend. Docter mentioned that with tighter budgets, their risks will be much more targeted. He also ruled out the possibility of live-action Pixar remakes. He explained, “The worlds we built just don’t translate very easily.” Inside Out 2 focuses on Riley in her teenage years with a group of new emotions showing up to change how she sees the world.
READ NEXT:
Written By Chris Streetman
Source(s): Time, CBR, Deadline
Latest News
Featured
