Like every other Pixar film, Inside Out 2 has Easter eggs and references to other Pixar films, but missed the perfect chance to tie in with a recent Pixar hit, with a 95% rating on Rotten tomatoes. After some challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced Pixar to release some of its films on Disney+, the studio has returned to its normal release schedule. Following the release of light year and the original story ElementaryPixar continued with a sequel to Pete Docter’s 2015 film Everything is upside downsimply titled Inside Out 2.

Inside Out 2 catches up with Riley, now a 13-year-old girl about to enter high school. Riley is entering puberty just before heading off to hockey camp with her best friends, where she must deal with the news that her friends are going to a different high school and the pressure to fit in on her school’s hockey team. Meanwhile, Joy, Sadness, Fear, Anger, and Disgust are surprised by the arrival of Fear, Boredom, Envy, and Embarrassment, which changes the dynamic at headquarters. Inside Out 2 has a good dose of Pixar references, but it missed the perfect chance to connect to To redden.

Turning Reds 4*TOWN could have been Riley’s favorite band in Inside Out 2

Inside Out 2 had the perfect setup for the return of 4*TOWN

To redden was the last of Pixar’s films to be released directly to Disney+ due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Unfortunately, this had a major impact on its reception among general audiences, but it is one of the most critically acclaimed Pixar films of recent years. It was directed by Domee Shi. To redden took viewers to Toronto, Ontario in 2002, where they met Mei Lee, a 13-year-old Chinese-Canadian schoolgirl who discovers that she is the victim of a generational curse that causes her to transform into a giant red panda whenever she experiences any strong emotion once she reaches puberty.

A key element in Mei’s story is her strong bond with her best friends Miriam, Priya and Abby, who share her love for the boy band 4*Town. The band finally plays a role in the climax of To redden The 4*Town concert is the setting for the confrontation between Mei and her mother Ming, with Mei’s friends and 4*Town singing along with Mei’s aunts and grandmother to complete the ritual necessary to imprison Ming’s red panda. 4*Town became one of the most memorable elements of To reddenand they could have easily returned to Inside Out 2.

At the start Inside Out 2Joy helps the audience discover what has changed in Riley and what she likes and dislikes now. Riley’s preferences include a boy band called Get Up and Glow, but Pixar had the perfect opportunity to make 4*Town her favorite band. The band exists in the world of Inside Out 2 because Riley had a poster of it in her roombut “Get Up and Glow” was made her favorite.

The crossover of Turning Red and Inside Out 2 would highlight their similar themes

“Turning Red” and “Inside Out 2” deal with the same themes in different ways

To redden And Inside Out 2 are different stories in different settings, but they deal with the same themes. Both Mei and Riley go through puberty in their respective films, but while Mei’s process is represented by a generational curse and a giant red panda, Riley’s process is represented by her actual emotions that live inside her head. You experience similar situations and problemsfor example, regarding their social life, their bodies and their parents, and they also have some common interests, such as boy bands.

Mei and Riley’s love for 4*Town and Get Up and Glow plays an important role in their stories in different ways – as mentioned above, it was a way for Mei to bond with her friends and the band played a key role in the final confrontation, while Riley’s love for Get Up and Glow also represented a bond with her friends but was also a theme used to highlight social pressure and discomfort.

To redden And Inside Out 2 could have been the perfect Pixar crossover thanks to the themes of puberty and teenage life, and it could have been as subtle as making 4*Town Riley’s favorite band (even though many years have passed since the events of) To redden).

A connection to “Inside Out 2” with “Turning Red” would strengthen the theory of the Pixar universe

The theory of the Pixar universe is becoming more and more confusing

As mentioned above, it is a Pixar tradition to add Easter eggs and references to past (and future) films, which has led to the famous Pixar Universe Theory. The theory summarizes all Pixar films in a timeline that is confusing in places, and begins with Arlo & Spot. The theory continues with toys coming to life, the destruction of humanity, sentient cars taking over, monsters traveling back in time, and more. As more and more Pixar films are released, it is harder to fit them into the theory, but Inside Out 2 Connect with To redden could have made this easier.

Although Riley’s 4*Town poster already establishes a connection between Inside Out 2 And To reddenPixar could have made it much stronger and better by making the band Riley’s favorite. Pixar completely missed this perfect opportunity, but the similarities between Inside Out 2 And To redden are very clear and will not go unnoticed by Pixar fans.