After the tremendous success of Inside Out 2, expectations are high for the future of the franchise. The latest sequel to the 2015 hit Inside Out continues Riley’s emotional journey as she transitions into adolescence. As Riley enters high school, she faces new emotions such as fear, jealousy, embarrassment and boredom, reflecting the increasing social pressures she faces. The film has already broken all box office records and is the highest-grossing film of the year so far, proving that this franchise continues to captivate audiences.

Inside Out 3: A sequel is almost inevitable

Inside Out 3 has not yet been confirmed, but another sequel is becoming increasingly plausible. Pixar Chief Creative Officer Pete Docter hinted that his studio may be interested in pursuing the story further. “We’re thinking about what ideas there might be for a third film,” Docter told Fandango, as there’s still so much to do with this rich, colorful world. He described the current concept phase as very similar to what happened immediately after the first Inside Out, when they had a lot of ideas but didn’t quite know how to proceed with them.

In particular, Docter stated that concepts from Inside Out and Inside Out 2 could find their way into a potential third film. He would like to delve deeper into the universe they created. He stated that some ideas from previous films did not make it into the final cut for thematic reasons, but remain a possibility for future exploration.

“I would love it to feel like we’ve only seen three percent of this massive world and the rest is still out there,” Docter said. “So there’s a lot to explore, a lot of things we played with in the first or second film that didn’t work for story reasons; they didn’t fit thematically, so we have a lot to play with.”

The anticipation for a third film isn’t limited to Pixar. When Disney CEO Bob Iger was asked about Inside Out 3 during an appearance on Good Morning America, he was very excited. While he didn’t confirm it, he did say he would “love” it if it happened, saying, “I’ll just leave it at that,” which raised eyebrows among everyone who was looking forward to it.

Director Kelsey Mann, who is responsible for Inside Out 2, can’t wait to dive back into this imaginative world. As discussed with ComicBook, Mann named several creative possibilities that remained open for the franchise. “I love this world. It’s such a great world to play in, and ideas just come when you’re playing in this world, both for locations and characters,” Mann explained. He said that many of the ideas, especially from the latest film, were shelved because they didn’t quite work for this storyline, but he hopes they will be used at some point in the future.

One of those ideas was a place called “Procrastination Land,” a theme park that is always under construction and never able to open. Mann called it a fun concept that really appealed to his teenage years. “There was a big sign that said ‘Procrastination Land’ and ‘Coming Soon’ on it. Anger was frustrated and kept asking, ‘When are they going to start building this place?!!’ It’s a funny idea and it didn’t fit this story, but I think it needs to be used somehow in the future.”

Given the huge success of Inside Out 2, a sequel is almost guaranteed. Made on a $200 million budget, the film is expected to gross between $140 million and $150 million this weekend – Pixar’s second biggest opening weekend ever. That puts it at least $50 million above the original in its first week and paves the way for an even more profitable box office success. It could easily surpass the original film’s $857.6 million total, easily guaranteeing a third installment.

The Inside Out franchise seems to be doing pretty well given this disappointing summer movie slate. But commercial earnings aside, it’s a concept with endless possibilities. Riley is growing up and her changing emotions will continue to be a goldmine. Whether she goes to college or continues to explore in high school – especially if she gets accepted to a college on a scholarship like this hockey player – the possibilities are endless.

The ending of Inside Out 2 leaves the door open to further explore Riley’s sense of self. Joining the varsity hockey team brings new challenges, battling fears, and trying to stay in touch with friends old and new. Given the potential directions the story could go, this says a lot about Mann’s enthusiasm to continue Riley’s journey in Inside Out 3, which could likely reveal even more facets of this developing character and her inner world.

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