Inside Out 2 Missed A Perfect Chance To Connect To Another Pixar Movie As Part Of The Shared Universe Theory

Like any other Pixar movie, Inside Out 2 has Easter eggs and references to other Pixar movies, but it missed the perfect chance to connect to a recent Pixar hit with a 95% score on Rotten Tomatoes. After some challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic that forced Pixar to release some of its movies on Disney+, the studio has gone back to its normal release plan. After the release of Lightyear and the original story Elemental, Pixar moved on with a sequel to Pete Docter’s 2015 movie Inside Out, simply titled Inside Out 2.

Inside Out 2 catches up with Riley, now a 13-year-old girl about to enter high school. Riley enters puberty right before attending hockey camp with her best friends, where she has to deal with the news of her friends attending another high school and the pressure of fitting in with her school’s hockey team. Meanwhile, Joy, Sadness, Fear, Anger, and Disgust are surprised by the arrival of Anxiety, Ennui, Envy, and Embarrassment, who change the dynamic at the Headquarters. Inside Out 2 has a good dose of Pixar references, but it missed the perfect chance to connect to Turning Red.

Turning Red’s 4*TOWN Could’ve Been Riley’s Favorite Band In Inside Out 2

Inside Out 2 Had The Perfect Setup For 4*TOWN’s Return

Turning Red was the last of Pixar’s batch of movies that were released directly on Disney+ due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Unfortunately, that heavily impacted its reception with the general audience, but it’s one of the most critically acclaimed Pixar movies in recent years. Directed by Domee Shi, Turning Red took viewers to Toronto, Ontario in 2002 to meet Mei Lee, a 13-year-old Chinese-Canadian student who discovers she carries a generational curse in which, once she hits puberty, she transforms into a giant red panda whenever she experiences any strong emotion.

A key element in Mei’s story is her strong bond with her best friends Miriam, Priya, and Abby, who share their love for the boy band 4*Town. The band ends up playing a part in the climax of Turning Red as 4*Town’s concert is the setting for the confrontation between Mei and her mother, Ming, with Mei’s friends and 4*Town joining Mei’s aunts and grandmother in singing to complete the ritual needed to contain Ming’s red panda. 4*Town became one of the most memorable elements from Turning Red, and they could have easily returned in Inside Out 2.

At the beginning of Inside Out 2, Joy helps the audience catch up with what has changed in Riley and what she now likes and dislikes. Among Riley’s likes is a boy band named Get Up and Glow, but Pixar had the perfect chance to make 4*Town her favorite band. The band exists in the world of Inside Out 2 as Riley had a poster of it in her room, but Get Up and Glow was made into her favorite.

Turning Red & Inside Out 2’s Crossover Would Highlight Their Similar Themes

Turning Red & Inside Out 2 Addressed The Same Themes In Different Ways

Turning Red and Inside Out 2 are different stories in different settings, but they cover the same themes. Both Mei and Riley are going through puberty in their respective movies, but while Mei’s process is represented through a generational curse and a giant red panda, Riley’s is represented through her actual emotions living in her head. However, they go through similar situations and problems, such as with their social lives, their bodies, and their parents, and have some shared interests as well, such as boy bands.

Mei and Riley’s love for 4*Town and Get Up and Glow are important in their stories in different ways – as mentioned above, for Mei it was a way of bonding with her friends and the band was key in the final confrontation, while Riley’s love for Get Up and Glow was also a bonding experience with her friends, but also a topic used to highlight social pressure and awkwardness.

Turning Red and Inside Out 2 could have been the perfect Pixar crossover thanks to their themes of puberty and being a teenage girl, and it could have been as subtle as making 4*Town Riley’s favorite band (even if many years have passed since the events of Turning Red).

Inside Out 2 Connecting To Turning Red Would Strengthen The Pixar Universe Theory

The Pixar Universe Theory Gets More & More Confusing

As mentioned above, one of Pixar’s traditions is adding Easter eggs and references to past (and future) movies, which have led to the famous Pixar Universe Theory. The theory brings together all Pixar movies in a timeline that is confusing at some points, and it begins with The Good Dinosaur. The theory continues with toys coming to life, humanity being destroyed, sentient cars taking over, monsters traveling to the past, and more. With more and more Pixar movies being released, it’s harder to place them in the theory, but Inside Out 2 connecting to Turning Red could have made this easier.

Although Riley’s 4*Town poster already creates a connection between Inside Out 2 and Turning Red, Pixar could have made it a lot stronger and better by making the band Riley’s favorite. Pixar completely missed this perfect chance, but the similarities between Inside Out 2 and Turning Red are very clear and won’t go unnoticed among Pixar fans.