Kelsey Mann Discusses the Possibility of ‘Inside Out 3’

After a difficult couple of years at the box office, Pixar returned to the top animation heap this year with the release of Inside Out 2.

The highly anticipated sequel to 2015’s Inside Out not only recreated the magic of the first film but also delighted fans by expanding the world inside Riley’s head.

Image: Pixar

When the dust had settled, not only did Pixar have another blockbuster on their hands, but Inside Out 2 would eventually be crowned the highest-grossing animated film ever.

Disney Fast-Tracked ‘Dream Productions’

In the aftermath of Inside Out 2’s historic success, Pixar quickly announced that a new Disney+ series named Dream Productions was in development.

“From the world of ‘Inside Out’ comes ‘Dream Productions,’ an all-new Disney+ series about the studio inside Riley’s mind where dreams really do come true—every night, on time and on budget, thanks to acclaimed director Paula Persimmon (voice of Paula Pell). Riley’s growing up and her core Emotions are on the job helping her navigate, but now Paula is facing a nightmare of her own: her signature combination of dreams featuring Rainbow Unicorn and copious amounts of glitter just isn’t working anymore,” the show’s synopsis reads.

Photo: Pixar

“To try and save her career, Paula teams up with Xeni (voice of Richard Ayoade), an overly confident daydream director looking for his next big break. With differing visions on what makes Riley’s dreams successful, can the reluctant pair come together to create the next big tween-dream hit?”

Photo: Pixar

Initially, it seemed like Dream Productions would hit streaming next year. Disney, however, quickly fast-tracked the series, which will now hit Disney+ on December 11, 2024.

Is ‘Inside Out 3’ On the Way?

Disney and Pixar are obviously both keenly aware of the wild popularity that the Inside Out franchise is currently basking in. The question on everyone’s mind, then, is whether there will be an Inside Out 3.

Image: Pixar

In a recent interview with Empire, Inside Out 2 director Kelsey Mann was asked about the possibility of a third film in the franchise.

After noting that Pixar strives to strike the right balance between sequels and original films, Mann admitted that he was open to the idea.

“People are pretty open. They’re open to doing another film,” he explained.

Image: Pixar

“They want to make sure that we do it justice. But people are excited for seeing Riley’s life — her whole life. They want to see Riley grow up.”

More Stories to Tell

While Mann believes there are more stories to tell, he admits that nothing is currently in the works.

“We haven’t had any talks. Mainly because the movie came out, and I took a break,” Mann continued. “But there are so many great ideas that we weren’t able to get into this film, or the original. I really hope those ideas have a home one day.”

Image: Pixar

Given that Pixar has Incredibles 3 and Toy Story 5 currently in development, it seems unfathomable that the studio would not want to create a follow-up film to the highest-grossing animated film of all time. From a macro level, Inside Out 3 seems like an inevitability. The question, then, is how long fans will have to wait?