Pixar’s highly-imaginative exploration of emotions,Inside Out,earned a sequel in 2024, but will the franchise continue inInside Out 3? Released in 2015 and directed by Kelsey Mann,Inside Outtakes place in the mind of a young girl named Riley who is dealing with a complex emotional shift when her family relocates. Her emotions exist as personified versions of themselves within her mind, and their leader, Joy, is tasked with putting Riley’s internal world back in order. With its clever mix of heart and heady exploration of its ideas,Inside Outtook the Pixar formula to another level.
After nearly a decade,Inside Out 2finally arrived in 2024 and introduced an entirely new set of emotions that clash with the likes of Joy, Anger, and Sadness. As Riley grows into a pre-teen, her dominant emotion becomes Anxiety, and the entire emotional gamut must learn to work together to help their young charge become a full-fledged personality. With the film poised to become another Pixar smash,Inside Out 2has managed to overcome its somewhat tepid reviewscompared to the original. The allure of box office success makes the possibility forInside Out 3quite high.
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Inside Out 3 Latest News
Development On The Sequel Is Seemingly Confirmed
Building on previous comments that hinted at another movie, the latest newssuggests thatInside Out 3is in development. The news was broken by star Paul Walter Hauser (who played Embarassment), who let slip in an interview that"I heard we might be doing another one.“While Hauser couldn’t offer many specifics, it’s clear that a star from the franchise would have insider knowledge about a sequel if it was in the works. With the franchise’s seemingly endless box office potential, it makes sense that the third film would be in discussion.
Read Hauser’s full comments below:
Crazy, it’s nutty. I heard we might be doing another one. I don’t know when or how or where, but the movie just resonated with people of all ages and it really, I think what’s different about the Inside Out movies from other animated films is it doesn’t really treat children as less intellectual beings. It really tells a funny, brilliant story, and they’ll grow with it as they get older, they’ll get some of the other jokes and it’ll find new resonance. So I just love getting to be a part of these worlds. I mean, you look at Pixar, Cobra Kai, I’m in the new Fantastic Four film. So Marvel and now MLW, it’s like I love joining these families and these sorts of cinematic universes that they are and getting to be some part of it. It’s been such a joy, man.
Inside Out 3 Is Not Confirmed
Pixar Hasn’t Announced Any Sequel Plans Yet
While this may be disheartening for fans who want to dive back into the world of Riley’s emotions, it is ultimately for the best because it allows the studio to craft the best films possible.
As it stands,Pixar has yet to announceInside Out 3, but that is far from surprising. Though the studio has made sequels in the past, they are different from their Disney counterparts in that they typically take a long time before crafting a follow-up to their biggest movies. EvenInside Out 2took nearly 10 years to finally hit theaters, and ifInside Out 3is green-lit, it will likely be another long wait. There could even be a long wait for the announcement as well, asInside Out 2wasn’t even revealed until 2022.
Inside Out 2premiered on August 01, 2025.
While this may be disheartening for fans who want to dive back into the world of Riley’s emotions, it is ultimately for the best because it allows the studio to craft the best films possible. With that said,Inside Outis perhaps one of Pixar’s most sequel-worthy properties, and the internal world of the mind is a literal spring of endless possibilities when it comes to storytelling.ThoughInside Out 3isn’t confirmed yet, there’s little doubt that it will be made in the futureif the first sequel proves to be as bit a hit as it predecessor.
Inside Out 3 Cast
Which Emotions Will Return?
Because the film isn’t confirmed yet, any details about the cast ofInside Out 3would be pure speculation. However, there are a few safe bets that could return in the threequel, even if the characters come back and the voice actors change. Leadingthe cast ofInside Outand its sequel,Amy Poehler’s Joy is ostensibly the main character of the series, and she is the de facto leader of Riley’s emotions. Riley herself went through a voice actor change between the movies, and that could happen again ifInside Out 3jumps forward to Riley’s adulthood or later teen years.
Kyle MacLachlan and Diane Lane have appeared in both films as Riley’s mom and dad, respectively, and there’s a distinct possibility the two veteran actors could come back for the third. If the threequel continues the trend set byInside Out 2and introduces new emotions in the mix, that will necessitate a handful of new cast members. However, it’s impossible to guess who that might be until the time comes.
Inside Out 3 Story Details
Inside Out 2 Left The Door Open For More
Much like its predecessor,the ending ofInside Out 2both conclusively ended that chapter of the story and left the door open for more in the future. While nothing was explicitly left hanging, it’s clear that there will be more challenges for the Emotions as Riley continues to grow up.Inside Out 3could fast-forward to Riley’s older teen years and explore her early romantic life and all the trials and tribulations that come with dating. Or,the movie could jump even further ahead and show Riley in collegeas she’s struggling to adjust to life outside the nest.
Inside Out
Cast
Inside Out is an animated film by Pixar Animation Studios, released in 2015. It centers on 11-year-old Riley, whose move to a new city causes emotional upheaval. Her Emotions, embodied by Joy, Fear, Anger, Disgust, and Sadness, collaborate to navigate the challenges of her new environment.
