How old is Riley in Inside Out 2? Age and character new emotions explored 

A still shot from Inside Out 2
A still shot from Inside Out 2 (image via IMDb)

Inside Out 2, sche­duled to release on June 14, 2024, Riley progre­sses into the initial phases of he­r teenage ye­ars, turning 13 as shown in the trailer. This follow-up story, taking place one-year subse­quent to the original tale, inte­nds to investigate Riley's intricate­ emotional experie­nce as she navigates the­ nuances of life as an adolesce­nt.

The sequel not only reprises the main characters from the first movie but also brings in new voices to add another layer of emotions, a whole new inner world to Riley’s emotions during the teenage years.

Anxiety, voiced by Maya Hawke, is particularly known for capturing the emotional rollercoaster that is often associated with this period of transition and exemplifying Pixar's dedication to delivering genuine, personal stories.


Pixar's sequel Inside Out 2 new character Anxiety will probe into Riley's growing turmoils

Inside Out 2 from Pixar explores the emotional growth of Riley while she goes through her teenage years; which are considered a significant phase of her life with its challenges. In this sequel eagerly awaited for its summer 2024 release, Riley acquires anxiety as a new emotion, expanding the palette of feelings of her internal world with the dark and deep feelings typical of adolescence.

During a statement released by Walt Disney, the Director, Kelsey Mann talked about the addition of a new character in the sequel portraying "Anxiety" and mentioned:

Anxiety, voiced by Maya Hawke, might be new to the crew, but she’s not really the type to take a back seat, That makes a lot of sense if you think about it in terms of what goes on inside all our minds

This addition is carefully selected to represent the delicate transitions that adolescents undergo, both within themselves and in their dealings with the outside world. Anxiety that is voiced by Maya Hawke illustrates the tense feeling of being too concerned, worried, and overthinking that typically occurs in teenhood.

The character’s introduction is one ingenious way created by Pixar in order to delve deeper and examine the sensitive features of mental health and emotional growth within the teenage period. The focus of the film is the topic of the difficulties involved in growing up.

Teenagers living through these changes are introduced to new emotions and the film illustrates these through new situations representing a teenager’s psychological profile. This inclusion provides insightful pe­rspective into Pixar's dedication to de­picting realistic and relatable e­xperiences. It also functions as an e­ducational resource for audience­s to understand and connect with the struggle­s of mental wellness.

Inside Out 2 will be a psychological dive into the world of teenage years, which is bound to deliver an interesting and thought-provoking journey. The film, which will bring back the emotions like Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear, and Disgust, and introduce Anxiety to the mix, is set to offer a fuller, and more comprehensive look at the emotional difficulties that come from the period of the transformative teenage years.

Fans and new viewers anticipate the release of Inside Out 2, holding onto hope that it lives up to the first film in “exploring the human psyche as only Pixar can.”


What will be Inside Out 2 all about?

Pixar’s Inside Out 2, is set to be a riveting sequel, diving into the complex territory of teenage emotions and viewing this world through Pixar’s signature lens. The sequel with Kelsey Mann taking the reins and making his directorial debut in this, the feature-length film, delves into the turbulent time of adolescence, centered around Riley as she navigates this period of life.

The story portrays Anxiety as the founder member of an extended family of emotions, such as Embarrassment, Ennui, and Envy, that reflect the complicated inner world of a teenager. This motive is to present a wider range of psychological aspects of Riley’s life as she endures the peaks and valleys of growing up.

The original voice cast includes Amy Poehler as Joy, Phyllis Smith as Sadness, Lewis Black as Anger, and Diane Lane as Riley’s mom. Additional cast members include Maya Hawke as Anxiety, portraying a character that represents the self-awareness and struggles of social anxiety, a common aspect of adolescence. June Squibb is also a part of the cast of the movie in a yet undesignated role, thus, the depth of talent in the voice cast is being further multiplied.

Mann, who steps up as dire­ctor after Pete Docte­r, infuses a fresh viewpoint into the­ sequel while ke­eping intact the earne­st storytelling and humor that made the original film iconic. His vast e­xperience in animation and storyte­lling, including his work for Monsters University and The Good Dinosaur at Pixar, e­quips him perfectly to navigate the­ fresh emotional routes in Inside­ Out 2.

The film promises a blend of laughte­r and insightful musings about the intricacies of growing up, making it a rele­ase that's eagerly awaite­d in Pixar's list of remarkable movies.


Inside Out 2 is slated for its theatrical release on June 14, 2024.

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