'Inside Out 2' US weekend collection predicted to reach $140-150M
What's the story
Pixar's latest release, Inside Out 2, is off to a promising start, raking in $62M on its opening Friday.
The film is projected to earn between $140M and $150M domestically over the Father's Day weekend.
This strong start could place it among the top three animated film openings ever and as Pixar's second-best debut.
Some competitors speculate earnings could reach up to $160M, although Disney remains more conservative in their estimates.
Box office rivals
'Inside Out 2' competing with top animated film openings
The sequel's Friday earnings included a significant $13M from Thursday previews, putting Inside Out 2 in competition with another successful Pixar sequel Incredibles 2, which holds the record for top animated domestic opening at $182.7M.
Other contenders include Illumination and Universal's The Super Mario Bros. Movie, Pixar's Finding Dory, and Walt Disney Animation's Frozen II.
The film is also performing well overseas, earning $48.8M from 38 markets despite only opening in 60% of the marketplace this weekend.
Box office surprise
'Inside Out 2' to exceed pre-release expectations
Before its release, the $200M sequel was anticipated to debut in North America with earnings similar to its predecessor, in the $90M range.
However, Inside Out 2 is now predicted to be the first movie since Barbie, nearly a year ago, to cross the $100M mark in its launch.
This success comes as a relief for Pixar after several years of challenges and decisions by Disney's former regime to send three Pixar films straight to streaming platforms.
Critical acclaim
'Inside Out 2' received high praise from critics
Critics have lauded Inside Out 2, placing it among the top five best-rated Pixar films on Rotten Tomatoes with a critics score of 93%.
The film also earned an A CinemaScore and a Rotten Tomatoes audience score of 96%, setting a new record for Pixar.
Directed by Kelsey Mann, the sequel introduces new characters to the story's young heroine, Riley, as she navigates her teenage years.
Revenue impact
'Inside Out 2' expected to boost overall domestic revenue
The strong performance of Inside Out 2 is anticipated to increase overall domestic box office revenue for the first time this year.
This boost is also attributed to Sony's Bad Boys: Ride or Die, which is now in its second frame.
Projections for this Father's Day weekend suggest a 28% increase compared to the same weekend in 2024 when DC's The Flash and Pixar's Elemental opened with less-than-stellar numbers.