It has been a rough 2024 at the box office where, despite a few hits like Dune Part 2 and Godzilla X Kong, several major releases have struggled to gain any real momentum financially. Some believe the tide is set to shift, including Sony Pictures' own CEO, and with the early international success of Inside Out 2, the latest animated fare from Pixar could keep the momentum going into the summer.
Inside Out 2 premiered in eight international markets on Wednesday, including South Korea and Germany, and quickly shot to the top of each market's respective box office ahead of the film's U.S. release according to Deadline. The film reportedly grossed $4.9 million across the eight markets, with Pixar's film breaking multiple opening day records in said countries along the way.
The Philippines led the markets with an opening day haul of $1.5 million, with South Korea coming in a very close number two with $1.4 million.
Inside Out 2 is also projected to open strong in the U.S., with most estimates suggesting the film could be greeted with an $85 million opening weekend haul at the domestic box office. If the film hits the projections, it would overtake Dune Part 2 and Godzilla X Kong as the biggest opening of 2024.
The hope from some analysts is that if Inside Out 2 can have a strong opening weekend, it will build momentum for other summer releases after the success of Bad Boys: Ride or Die.
Bad Boys Hit Big
Heading into its opening weekend, the fourth Bad Boys film was originally projected to open around $40 million at the domestic box office. The projections were quickly changed to around $50 million after the film made roughly $21 million on its opening day, along with $5.88 million from Thursday night previews, but would still beat the altered projections and end the weekend with $56.5 million opening.
The film has since made around $125 million globally, with the domestic box office accounting for roughly $75 million.
Pixar Needs a Win
Inside Out 2's success would also be the turn around at the box office Pixar has been looking for after a rough couple of years for the studio.
While 2023's Elemental was well received and considered a “sleeper-hit” after grossing over $496 million, Pixar was hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic that forced it to release Luca, Soul, and Turning Red either on Disney Plus, alone, or simultaneously with the film's theatrical release.
One of the biggest hits the studio took, though, was on 2022's Lightyear, which only grossed around $226 million despite mostly positive reviews and ultimately lost Pixar $106 million.
Inside Out 2 is scheduled to release in theaters on June 14, 2024.
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