Disney Puts 'Frozen,’ ‘Toy Story’ and More on Hold After 'Inside Out 2' News

Walt Disney Animation and Pixar Animation Studios are rewriting the script after a season of flops and failures at the box office. As Inside Out 2 (2024) soars to the top of the charts, The Walt Disney Company might need to take a second look at its current release strategy.

Scene from the new Pixar film Inside Out 2 featuring several emotions. — Credit: Pixar

It was revealed that the sequel to Pixar’s surreal trip through Riley’s mind was not only the most successful film the company has had this year but is now officially the most successful animated film of all time. While that’s no easy feat for any feature, the fact that it trumped films like Frozen (2013), Toy Story 4 (2019), and even The Lion King (1994) is absolutely shocking.

Because of this new development, Disney might be undergoing a total directional shift. As the studio recently announced a sea of other sequels, some serious rewrites might be in the works to repeat Inside Out 2’s surprising success.

Why Inside Out 2 Actually Worked

Joy cheering as the other emotions look on — Credit: Pixar

For those who’ve not seen the film, the basic story follows Riley, now a teenager, as she faces the complexities of adolescence as new emotions emerge, challenging her existing ones. Joy and her team must navigate this changing landscape to help Riley maintain her sense of self. While that’s certainly a comprehensible and relatable plot, it barely scratches the surface of how Pixar got Disney’s groove back.

The performances from Joy (Amy Poehler), Sadness (Phyllis Smith), Anger (Lewis Black), Fear (Tony Hale), and Disgust (Liza Lapira) and the new emotions Anxiety (Maya Hawke), Envy (Ayo Edebiri), Ennui (Adèle Exarchopoulos), and Embarrassment (Paul Walter Hauser) were undoubtedly a major asset in bringing the project to life, it’s the recommitment to classic Disney storytelling and appeal to the family unit that truly made it a win.

Inside Out 2 works because it has characters audiences care about, a compelling and relatable story, and a moral message that doesn’t need to be some ham-fisted attempt at virtue signaling to appease a certain demographic. By appealing to the family-focused fanbase Disney has spent the last century cultivating, both studios have found critical and financial success.

At the end of the day, it’s the moms and dads who buy the tickets to take their kids to see whatever animated feature Disney puts out. If the studio can’t win them over, the ship is officially sunk.

A Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow

Moana singing as flower petals swirl around her — Credit: Disney

As much as we want to give Disney a magical reputation, it’s still a production company with a primary interest in turning a profit. If the higher-ups are paying attention, they will go to great lengths to ensure that any future animated features fit the same mold.

Sequels for Moana, Zootopia, Frozen, Toy Story, and more are already in development, and it’s logical Disney will encourage their creators and directors to learn from Pixar’s example. Bringing audiences back to familiar territory won’t be easy, but it can certainly be done.

With Moana leading the way as a return to the Disney Princess angle, it already seems like the studio is getting back to its roots with its upcoming releases. Similar to Inside Out 2, Disney is set to bring audiences back to settings and stories fans already adore with characters they share a strong connection to, thus all but solidifying its success.

There’s a time to experiment and try something new, but there’s also a time to stick with what works and what gets audiences in theaters. So long as Disney pairs that with its recent re-approach to family-focused themes, the studio will be back on top of the world in no time at all.

Do you think Disney is making a comeback? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!