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Pixar gold once more. The animation studio’s sequel Inside Out 2 is 2024’s highest-grossing movie, taking Deadline’s Most Valuable Blockbuster Tournament for the year with a projected $650 million net profit. The movie’s record-breaking performance not only revitalized Pixar’s box office prospects but also redefined what success in the current theatrical landscape looks like.
Directed by Kelsey Mann and featuring the return of fan-favorite emotions like Joy, Sadness, and Anger—along with newcomers Anxiety and Envy—Inside Out 2 was an instant global phenomenon upon its June release. It earned a staggering $1.699 billion worldwide, surpassing Frozen II as the highest-grossing animated film in history.
The film’s box office prowess stunned industry watchers. It took in $154.2 million during its opening weekend domestically and had a phenomenal second week hold, with over $100 million again—a mark few films, animated or not, ever reach. International markets were no less welcoming. In Italy, Brazil, and Spain, Inside Out 2 shattered numerous records, from biggest animated opening to highest-grossing film of the year to date.
Deadline’s profitability calculations take into account not just box office, but home entertainment, merchandising, and streaming licensing—categories in which Inside Out 2 also dominated. The film was reportedly produced for around $200 million, with an additional $100 million invested in global marketing. But its box office gross, along with Disney+ distribution and merchandise tie-ins, propelled its net profits into blockbuster range.
More than a box office success, the movie was a critical success, with rave reviews for its subtlety and emotional complexity. It garnered several award nominations, including a Best Animated Feature nod at the Oscars.
Inside Out 2 was a comeback of sorts for Pixar. Following some pandemic-era releases going directly to streaming, this theater-first strategy has paid off in spades, re-winning over audience goodwill for the brand.
As 2024 draws to a close, the company is reflecting on what Inside Out 2 has accomplished—not in terms of dollars, but in cultural impact. It reminded the world that animated films could be both box office behemoths and conduits for deeply human storytelling. And for Pixar, there is only joy in that.
