Pixar movies are synonymous with family-friendly fun, and the Inside Out flicks are particularly incredible. Centering around Ripley, the films tell a coming-of-age story by exploring her anthropomorphized emotions. As a third entry is likely to happen sooner or later, Inside Out 3 will almost certainly explore an older Ripley, but it remains to be seen which period in her life will be selected. College seems like the logical next step, since it represents most people's transition from childhood to adulthood; however, an alternative route is for the sequel to jump forward further and explore parenthood through Ripley's eyes (and emotions).
Inside Out 2 introduced a couple of new emotions that proved to be winners with most audiences, and the next entry could prioritize the development of staples like Joy, Anger, and Embarrassment. However, if Pixar focuses on introducing new emotions, then a parent-aged Ripley would provide plenty of options.
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Inside Out 3 Should Follow Riley's Moving Journey As A Parent
It would be fun to see Riley as a grown-up in Inside Out 3. The movie could focus on the emotional depth that the character has now. The main storyline could also follow Riley's child having their own emotions to deal with. Amy Poehler could reprise her role of Joy and help an adult Riley cope with the various stages and problems of being a parent.
Since parenthood comes with so many unique emotions, a few new characters could be introduced in Inside Out 3. According to UC Berkeley News, there are 27 emotions, and some of these would work great for Riley's story. It would be compelling to watch Riley deal with nostalgia, adoration, relief, boredom, or surprise. Riley could feel nostalgia for her old life and work out how to merge her new identity with the person she used to be. She could also feel adoration for her baby and relief when something that she's worried about works out just fine. The early newborn days also involve a bit of boredom, so it would make sense to include this feeling as well. Finally, Riley could also be surprised by the changes in her life. Anxiety would also need to be included in Inside Out 3 since there are a lot of things to worry about in parenthood.
Inside Out 3 could cover a lot of ground. The movie could begin with Riley experiencing these new emotions with her baby. Then, the story could jump into the future and follow Riley's child growing up and dealing with all the changes in their life. It would be cool to see Riley and her kid cope with the same emotions. Perhaps Riley would move her own family to a new city or town and reflect on her own childhood experience. Riley would learn some valuable lessons, including that no matter how old someone is, they still have some rough moments and hard emotions. That's something that every audience member would be able to relate to. Parenthood is all about the gray areas of life. It's possible to enjoy most of the journey while also appreciating how exhausting and scary some days are. This is the lesson that Inside Out and Inside Out 2 have shared, and it would make sense to continue this moving storytelling in a third film.
Since fans have seen Riley as a cute kid and then an anxious teenager, it would be particularly interesting to see her as a parent. She could reflect on what her dad taught her when she was younger, and the third movie could build on the lessons she learned in the first two films. As long as Inside Out 3 has the same funny quotes as Inside Out and the sequel, it would be satisfying.
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What Have The Filmmakers Said About Inside Out 3?
Inside Out 2 director Kelsey Mann said "people are pretty open” about a third movie. Considering how successful Inside Out 2 was at the box office, it would be surprising if Inside Out 3 wasn't made. According to Box Office Mojo, the sequel grossed $652,980,194 domestically and $1,698,451,580 worldwide. In comparison, Inside Out grossed $356,461,711 domestically and $859,076,254 worldwide.
In August 2024, Pete Docter, the Chief Creative Officer of Pixar, talked about Inside Out 3 in an interview with Fandango. He said:
“We’re in the same place we were after [“Inside Out,” the first movie]. We’re just like, ‘Okay, well if we were going to do something, what would it be?’ And we’re kind of just thinking of ideas. Who knows."
Docter continued:
"So there’s a lot to explore, a lot of things that we played with in the first movie or the second movie that didn’t work for story reasons—[they] didn’t fit thematically—so we have a lot to play with."
In mid-2025, writer Dave Holstein told The Direct that a third movie seems likely, even if discussions have been minimal so far.
Yeah, minimal. I mean, I would say that we're still enjoying the wave of fun, this second film. But I have no doubt that at some point a third, and hopefully, in my opinion, four through six, seven, eight, Inside Out should happen.
During the same interview, Holstein spoke about Riley's role as the story's engine, and that future entries could continue to explore how emotions like Joy change as their host grows older.
Hopefully, Inside Out 3 will be made, and fans will get a chance to continue following Riley as she gets older and experiences an even wider range of fascinating and important emotions.
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