Honestly, walking into a sequel for a movie as perfect as Inside Out felt like a trap. We all remember 2015. We all remember Bing Bong. Expecting Pixar to catch lightning in a bottle twice, especially with the rocky road they’ve been on lately, felt like asking for a heartbreak. But then the Inside Out 2 ratings started trickling in, and it became clear that this wasn't just a cash grab. It was a juggernaut.
The numbers are kinda stupid if you look at them for too long. We’re talking about a movie that didn't just "do well" at the box office—it basically rebuilt the theater-going habit for families who hadn't stepped foot in a cinema since the pandemic. It’s sitting on a massive 91% on Rotten Tomatoes from critics, which is impressive, sure. But the real story is the 96% Audience Score. People didn't just like it; they felt seen by it.
What Do the Inside Out 2 Ratings Actually Tell Us?
If you look at the breakdown across the major platforms, the consensus is surprisingly steady. Usually, you see a big gap between what the "snobby" critics think and what parents with popcorn-covered kids think. Not here.
- Rotten Tomatoes: 91% (Critics) / 96% (Verified Audience)
- CinemaScore: A
- Metacritic: 73 (Critics) / 7.7 (Users)
- IMDb: 7.7/10
That A CinemaScore is the gold standard for word-of-mouth. It’s what kept the movie playing in theaters for months instead of dropping off after two weeks. People were telling their friends, "No, you actually have to see the anxiety attack scene." It became a cultural moment because it tackled the one thing every teenager—and let's be real, every adult—is currently drowning in: Anxiety.
Maya Hawke’s portrayal of Anxiety wasn't just a "new character." It was a mirror. Critics like Richard Roeper from the Chicago Sun-Times gave it a perfect 4/4, saying it matched the original’s brilliance. That’s a tall order. Even the more "meh" reviews, like those on Metacritic that hovered around the 70s, conceded that the movie is "emotionally intelligent." The main gripe? Some felt it followed the first movie's structure a little too closely. Basically, the "Joy and a friend get lost in the mind and have to race back to headquarters" trope. But when the destination is that moving, do we really care if the map looks familiar?
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The "Anxiety" Factor
Why did the Inside Out 2 ratings stay so high? A lot of it comes down to the consulting work Pixar did. They didn't just guess what 13-year-olds feel like. They brought in clinical psychologists like Lisa Damour and Dacher Keltner to make sure the transition from "childhood emotions" to "complex teenage emotions" felt scientifically accurate.
When Riley experiences that climactic panic attack during a hockey game, it’s not played for laughs. It’s intense. That scene alone is what many viewers cited in their 5-star reviews. It gave parents a way to talk to their kids about mental health without it feeling like a lecture. It’s "edutainment" that actually works.
Breaking Down the Box Office Madness
You can't talk about ratings without talking about the money, because in Hollywood, dollars are just another form of a "like" button. Inside Out 2 didn't just break records; it shattered them. It became the highest-grossing animated film of all time, passing Frozen II with a staggering $1.69 billion worldwide.
Think about that. 1.69 billion.
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It held that top spot until a Chinese blockbuster called Ne Zha 2 eventually nudged it out in early 2025, but for a solid window, Pixar was the undisputed king of the mountain again. In the U.S. alone, it raked in over $652 million.
What’s wild is who was buying the tickets. According to data from Movio, 54% of the opening weekend audience were "infrequent" moviegoers. These are the people who usually wait for the Disney+ release. But the hype—and those early Inside Out 2 ratings—convinced them that this was a "must-see on the big screen" event.
Demographics: Not Just for Kids
While 25% of the audience were kids aged 2–11, a huge chunk (nearly 40%) were adults between 18 and 44. A lot of these were "Zillennials" who grew up with the first movie and wanted to see how Riley handled puberty.
- Females: 58% of the audience (The "Barbie" effect of 2024).
- International: It was a monster in Mexico ($102M) and Brazil ($80M).
Is It Better Than the Original?
This is where the debate gets spicy. If you look at the Inside Out 2 ratings on sites like Douban (a Chinese review site), the sequel scored an 8.4, while the original is sitting at an 8.8.
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There's a nostalgia for the first film that is hard to beat. The first one had the "newness" of the world-building. It had the gut-punch of Bing Bong's sacrifice. Inside Out 2 is more of a "growing pains" story. It’s messier because being a teenager is messier.
Some critics, like Brian Truitt from USA Today, pointed out that while Anxiety is a top-tier antagonist, other new emotions like Envy, Ennui, and Embarrassment felt a bit like side characters. They didn't get as much screen time as the core five. But honestly? That’s kinda how those emotions feel at 13. Ennui (boredom) is literally supposed to just sit on the couch and do nothing.
The Practical Takeaway for You
If you haven't seen it yet, or if you're wondering why your social media feed is still full of "Joy vs. Anxiety" memes, here is the bottom line:
- Watch it for the "Sense of Self" arc. The movie introduces the idea that our "belief system" forms our identity. It’s a great way to check in on your own mental "Inner Voice."
- Don't expect a Bing Bong moment. There isn't one specific scene that will make you sob for ten minutes, but the ending is a slow-burn "misty-eyed" kind of emotional.
- Pay attention to the background gags. Pixar is back to their A-game with visual puns. "Mount Crushmore" is a highlight.
- Use it as a conversation starter. If you have kids (or if you’re just a human with feelings), use the "Anxiety" character to talk about how it’s okay to not be "Joy" all the time.
The high Inside Out 2 ratings weren't a fluke. They were a sign that we’re all a little bit overwhelmed, and sometimes, seeing a bunch of colorful characters navigate a "Sar-chasm" is exactly what we need to feel a little more human.
Next Steps for You:
Check out the "Riley’s First Date?" short film on Disney+ if you want a quicker hit of this world, or look into the "Inside Out 2: The Art of the Movie" book to see the dozens of emotions (like "Guilt" and "Suspicion") that were cut from the final script to keep the story focused.