Is Inside Out 2 Appropriate For Little Kids? Here’s What Parents Need To Know

The release of a new Pixar movie is always a special day. But when you’re talking about Inside Out, it’s extra special because, come on! Inside Out! So we really can’t wait from the June 14 premiere of Inside Out 2, which continues the story of Riley and all the emotions living in her head. But before you run to theater and drop $27 on a medium popcorn, it’s important to know what age Inside Out 2 is appropriate for, so here’s what we know so far.

Inside Out 2 picks up a year after the first movie.

Specifically, a year after the end of the first movie and two years from when Riley and her family move to San Francisco from Minnesota. Riley is now 13 — officially a teen — and she is fully embodying all the emotions that go with that. And who can blame her? High school is looming and hormones are raging.

In addition to all the emotions we know and love — Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear, and Disgust — a new crop of feelings make their appearance in this highly anticipated sequel. Anxiety, Embarrassment, Ennui, and Envy, are new on the scene, and it isn’t long before they decide they’re exactly who should be guiding Riley through this new stage of life. Riley, they say, has outgrown the more simple emotions who have been with her since childhood. Now Joy and her friends must reassert themselves before Anxiety takes over for good.

Inside Out 2 is rated PG for “thematic elements.”

Since The Incredibles, most Pixar films have received a PG rating, so this doesn’t come as a huge surprise. Common Sense Media suggests the movie is appropriate for audiences 6 and older, which is in keeping with the outlet’s assessment of the first film in the Inside Out franchise. Interestingly, CSM suggests Turning Red , another Pixar movie about female puberty and emotional repression, is appropriate for viewers 10 and older. So apparently Riley’s puberty experience is going to be a bit less explicit than Mei’s.

So, basically, probably nothing inappropriate here: if your child watched Inside Out then Inside Out 2 is going to be more of the same in terms of maturity and content.

Inside Out 2 features an all-star cast.

New and returning celebs are on board to bring this story to life and we’re pretty excited. Returning cast includes Amy Poehler as Joy, Phyllis Smith as Sadness, Louis Black as Anger, and Diane Lane and Kyle MacLachlan as Riley’s parents. Some characters will be familiar but voiced by different actors. Fear, Disgust, and Riley herself will now be played by Tony Hale, Liza Lapira, and Kensington Tallman, respectively.

But there’s plenty of new characters to meet as well, and they, too, are being voiced by celebs. Maya Hawke comes on board as Anxiety, flanked by Adèle Exarchopoulos, Ayo Edebiri, Paul Walter as Ennui, Envy, and Embarrassment. June Squibb will voice Nostalgia.

No word on Bing Bong yet...

Honestly, you were probably thinking it. We know we were. It’s been nine years and we’re still always thinking about that poor elephant/raccoon/cotton candy creature.

We promise: we’ll let you know as soon as we hear anything... just as soon as we stop crying.

TL;DR, Inside Out 2 is going to be appropriate for most audiences.

We don’t have all the details yet, but everything we know so far points to a family-friendly movie for all, and we can’t wait.