‘Inside Out 2’ calms box office anxiety with blockbuster opening

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As a dedicated cinema devotee with decades of movie-going experience under my belt, I can wholeheartedly affirm that this past weekend brought us a much-needed burst of cinematic joy with the impressive debut of Disney and Pixar’s “Inside Out 2.” The animated sequel shattered box office records with an estimated $295 million global opening, making it the second-highest opening weekend in Pixar’s history and the biggest of 2024.

As a long-time film enthusiast and industry observer, I must say that Hollywood’s summer movie season has had its fair share of anxieties this year. With numerous productions underperforming at the box office and some high-profile releases getting delayed or even cancelled due to the ongoing pandemic, it was a relief to witness the massive success of Disney and Pixar’s “Inside Out 2” this weekend.

I’m thrilled to share that the opening weekend of “Inside Out 2” at Pixar marks an impressive milestone for us. It’s the second-highest in our nearly three decades of filmmaking and the second-largest animated opening, trailing only behind “Incredibles 2” with its $182.7 million launch in 2018. This achievement holds a special place as it’s also the biggest debut of 2024, which hadn’t witnessed any films open over the $100 million mark until now. With an estimated $140 million from international showings, “Inside Out 2” has shattered records with its global debut of a breathtaking $295 million.

Pixar experiences a noteworthy triumph with “Inside Out 2,” signifying a crucial comeback for a company that faced disappointing releases like “Elemental” and “Lightyear.” Although the former eventually prospered, the latter failed to impress. This victory is also beneficial for Hollywood’s overall health and the revival of movie theaters, which were experiencing a 26% revenue shortfall prior to this weekend. “Inside Out 2” represents the largest opening since “Barbie” earned $162 million last July.

“According to Paul Dergarabedian, Comscore’s senior media analyst, this weekend is set to be particularly significant for cinemas.”

Kelsey Mann helms “Inside Out 2”: At thirteen, Riley’s story continues with new emotions joining the scene – Anxiety (Maya Hawke), Ennui (Adèle Exarchopoulos), Envy (Ayo Edebiri), and Embarrassment (Paul Walter Hauser). Amy Poehler reprises her role as Joy, alongside an ensemble cast including Tony Hale, Lewis Black, and Phyllis Smith as Fear, Anger, and Sadness. Critics have praised it with a 92% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, while audiences gave it an impressive A CinemaScore. With summer vacation in full swing and no major competition until “Despicable Me 4” arrives during the Fourth of July weekend, “Inside Out 2” is poised for a strong run.

I’m deeply impressed by this film that is reportedly worth $200 million just for production. Yet, that figure doesn’t include the substantial investments made on marketing. With an anticipated debut in the $90 million range during the upcoming weekend, it would have been a noteworthy start, surpassing “Inside Out” from June 2019. Such an achievement would have placed it atop the list of biggest openings for the year, dethroning the earlier releases like “Dune: Part Two” and “Godzilla x Kong.”

The film had an enormous beginning with $13 million earned during Thursday preview showings starting at 3 p.m. Being the sole significant release of the weekend, its presence in theaters was likewise noteworthy – gracing 400 IMAX screens, over 900 “premium large format” screens, and above 2,500 3D screens.

According to Dergarabedian, the tradition of families enjoying a movie outing remains strong. He adds that this out-of-home experience continues to offer value for money.

After dispatching some Pixar movies directly to Disney+’s streaming platform during the pandemic, such as “Soul,” “Luca,” and “Turning Red,” Disney has recently announced a renewed dedication to producing theatrical releases. This decision follows reports from The New York Times that Pixar intends to shift its focus back to creating feature films instead of producing content for Disney+. As a result, approximately 14% of Pixar’s workforce (around 175 employees) were let go last month.

“This weekend is significant for the industry as a whole, but it’s particularly important for Pixar because they’ve been working hard to regain their success since the pandemic. With their long-standing reputation for impressive box office numbers, Pixar is making a strong comeback,” according to Dergarabedian.

I’ve been following the box office trends closely these past few weeks, and let me tell you, I’m absolutely thrilled by the success story of “Bad Boys: Ride or Die.” As a long-time fan of the franchise, I couldn’t be happier to see Sony’s latest addition taking the second place spot in its second weekend with an impressive $33 million. The fact that it only dropped 42% from its opening is simply remarkable!

As a supporter, I’m thrilled to report that “Bad Boys” kicked off an encouraging turnaround for the struggling summer movie season last weekend. The summer season, which spans from the first weekend in May to Labor Day, contributes approximately 40% of Hollywood’s annual box office revenue. With ticket sales dropping by 28% for the summer and 24% for the year so far (and that’s even before “Barbenheimer” hits theaters), the deficit has been substantial. However, the success of “Bad Boys” marks a step in a more promising direction, offering hope for a higher-earning second half of the summer season.

“Dergarabedian commented, ‘It won’t happen right away, but this is positive news for theaters. We have some major films in the pipeline.'”

Bahr writes for the Associated Press.

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2024-07-18 18:57