Movie

Pixar's animated sequel continues its reign at the domestic box office in its second weekend, setting new records and boosting the industry in the face of a slow summer.

• Jun 24, 2024

AceShowbiz - Weekend number two was just as joyous for "Inside Out 2". The Pixar sequel collected $100 million in ticket sales in its second weekend, according to studio estimates Sunday, June 23, setting a new record for an animated movie in its follow-up frame in theaters. The previous best second weekend for an animated title was the $92 million for "The Super Mario Bros. Movie".

In just a week and a half, "Inside Out 2" has become 2024's highest-grossing film to date with $724.4 million globally, including $355.2 million in U.S. and Canadian theaters. That passes the $711.8 million worldwide total of "Dune: Part Two". "Inside Out 2" will likely blow through the $1 billion mark in about a week, which would make it the first film since "Barbie" to do so.

The extent of the "Inside Out 2" success startled Hollywood, which had grown accustomed to lower expectations as the film industry watched ticket sales this year slump about 40% below pre-pandemic totals, according to data firm Comscore, before "Inside Out 2" came along. The record haul for "Inside Out 2", though, recalled past years when $1 billion grosses were more commonplace for the Walt Disney Co.

The movie opened to excellent reviews. "Inside Out 2" has a "fresh" 91% score on the aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, in addition to an even better 96% audience rating. This warm reception has bolstered Pixar, which had faced a series of box office under-performers and behind-the-scenes troubles that led to layoffs. Critics and audiences have been charmed by the sequel, so positive word of mouth has been a boon for ticket sales.

"Inside Out 2" faced a little competition from "Bad Boys: Ride or Die", which held well in its third week of release, collecting $18.8 million. The "Bad Boys" sequel, starring Will Smith and Martin Lawrence, has grossed $146.9 million domestically thus far.

Next week, the sci-fi horror prequel "A Quiet Place: Day One" and Kevin Costner's Western epic "Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1" will hope some of the "Inside Out 2" success rubs off on them. The movie's remarkable performance is an encouraging sign not only for Pixar but for the entire film industry.

Top 10 of North American Box Office (Jun. 21-23, 2024):

1. "Inside Out 2" - $100 million
2. "Bad Boys: Ride or Die" - $18.8 million
3. "The Bikeriders" - $10 million
4. "The Garfield Movie" - $3.6 million
5. "Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes" - $3.6 million
6. "IF" - $2.8 million
7. "The Exorcism" - $2.4 million
8. "Thelma" - $2.2 million
9. "The Watchers" - $1.9 million
10. "GHOST: Rite Here Rite Now" - $1.5 million