In a groundbreaking achievement, “Inside Out 2” has broken records as the fastest animated film to reach $1 billion worldwide, achieving this milestone just 19 days after its release.
Disney’s executive vice president of theatrical distribution, Tony Chambers, expressed delight at this incredible feat, stating, “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 success of “Inside Out 2” has revitalized the sluggish 2024 box office, with domestic sales previously lagging more than 25% behind last year’s performance according to Comscore data.
Senior media analyst at Comscore, Paul Dergarabedian, highlighted the impact of the film on the box office revenue deficit, stating, “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.’”
“Inside Out 2” now holds the title of the highest-grossing film of the year, surpassing the $1 billion mark which hasn’t been achieved since “Barbie” last July. It joins the prestigious club of Disney and Pixar films grossing over $1 billion, such as “The Incredibles 2,” “Finding Dory,” both “Frozen” movies, and the last two “Toy Story” installments.
Daniel Loria, editorial director at Box Office Pro, projects a total domestic box office revenue between $8.1 billion and $8.4 billion for this year, slightly lower than last year’s total but notes the potential to close the gap further.
Despite challenges faced earlier in the year, Loria remains optimistic about the industry’s future, stating, “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.”
