Pixar’s “Inside Out 2” is about to become the first movie to sell more than $1 billion in tickets. It will also be the first movie since “Barbie” to reach that goal.
The Associated Press reported that the movie made $724.4 million in its first week and a half, making it the highest-grossing movie of 2024 and beating out “Dune: Part Two,” which had made $711.8 million the previous week.
The huge success of “Inside Out 2” surprised Hollywood, which had grown used to lower hopes after seeing movie ticket sales drop about 40% below pre-pandemic levels this year. That is, until “Inside Out 2” came along.
Another record was set by the sequel, which made $100 million in ticket sales in its second weekend. “The Super Mario Bros. Movie’s” $92 million in its second weekend was the most ever for an animated movie. There have only been six movies with better second weekends in history.
“Inside Out 2,” which follows Riley’s emotional journey at age 13, has made people want to go to the movies again, according to Benchmark analyst Mike Hickey.
Hickey told clients in a note that the movie should do better than “A Quiet Place: Day One” and Kevin Costner’s “Horizon: An American Saga Chapter One.”
The news is good for Disney-owned Pixar, which changed its movie pipeline and how it tries to appeal to a wide audience after trying out direct-to-streaming releases.
The movie may now even be in the running to be Pixar’s highest-grossing movie of all time, beating out “The Incredibles 2.” People bought 1.2 billion tickets to see that movie.
People are now waiting for Lee Isaac Chung’s natural disaster movie “Twisters” to come out in theaters from July 19 to July 21. Hickey said that the movie, which stars Daisy Edgar-Jones, Glen Powell, and Anthony Ramos, should make between $40 million and $55 million in North America.
Disney stock (DIS, -2.67%) fell 2.2% on Friday, but it has gained 11% so far this year, while the S&P 500 SPX has gained 15%.
