‘Inside Out 2’ Hits 2024’s First $1 Billion Global Box Office Mark

Just under 20 days after its release, Disney and Pixar’s “Inside Out 2” has exceeded records, becoming the fastest animated film to reach $1 billion worldwide, achieving this significant box office milestone over the weekend.

The remarkable box office performance of “Inside Out 2” underscores its popularity and sets a new standard for animated features in 2024. The film’s success follows closely behind the global hit movie “Barbie,” highlighting a strong year for the film industry.

In a news release on Sunday, Tony Chambers, Disney’s executive vice president of theatrical distribution, said, “We’re absolutely thrilled to have reached this phenomenal milestone in record time, and it once again proves that global audiences will come out for a great movie. The film’s remarkable success is a testament not only to the incredible creativity of the Pixar team but an example of moviegoing at its very best.”

The release of “Inside Out 2” on June 16 has given life to a slow 2024 box office. Comscore data reported that before the movie’s debut, domestic sales were trailing 2023 figures by over 25%. This animated film’s impressive performance has significantly boosted overall box office numbers.

Senior media analyst at Comscore, Paul Dergarabedian, said, “Over the past few weeks, we’ve seen the year-to-date, year-over-year domestic box office revenue deficit shrink from 27% to 19% and that’s due in large part to the amazing and much welcome performance of ‘Inside Out 2,’ a film that has adjusted the mood of the movie industry in just a few short weeks.”

The movie, which follows Riley in her teenage years as she encounters new emotions, has drawn a significant number of teenagers back to cinemas, with 14% of its audience comprised of 13 to 17-year-olds. This age group, which has been largely absent from cinemas in recent years, has played a key role in the movie’s impressive success.

It has been a prevalent mission for studios and movie theatre operators to get teens in particular back into their moviegoing habits.

Box Office Pro’s editorial director, Daniel Loria, anticipates a decline in the U.S. domestic box office revenue for this year. Based on extensive sales and showtime data from numerous theaters nationwide, Loria forecasts the total earnings to range from $8.1 billion to $8.4 billion. This prediction represents a drop from the over $9 billion generated in 2023, which marked the highest annual revenue since the pandemic began.

However, Loria emphasized that there is still a way to go.

“The impact of the strike on the box office is clear in the first five months of the year, but June has shown us the crucial role movie theaters play in a film industry firing on all cylinders,” he stated. “If the movies are there, the audience will follow. I expect to see great numbers in the second half of the year, leading into 2025 and beyond. Another surprise hit or two, and we may get a lot closer to matching that $9 billion than we all expected coming into the year.”