Pixar Animation is all set to release the much-awaited Inside Out 2 in June of this year. Coming nine years after the first film, which won the Oscar for Best Animated Feature, the sequel introduces new emotions in the protagonist Riley, who has to deal with a new phase of her life: teenage. Apart from regulars Amy Poehler and Phyllis Smith, the sequel sees Maya Hawke and Ayo Edebiri join the cast as new emotions.
Hawke voices the emotion of Anxiety in Inside Out 2, which enters Headquarters when Riley decides to try out for a hockey team. The makers reportedly did a lot of research on what kind of emotions a thirteen-year-old usually begins to have and fixed on a few, including anxiety. The makers also reportedly took inspiration from one Adam Sandler film to treat the visuals for scenes involving Anxiety.
Pixar Was Inspired By Adam Sandler’s Indie Hit For Inside Out 2
Pixar’s Inside Out was one of the studio’s biggest hits, earning over $858 million at the box office. The Amy Poehler starrer follows the story of a girl named Riley and her emotions as they go through a life change. Along with Poehler, actors such as Phyllis Smith, Bill Hader, Mindy Kaling, and others voiced the roles of Riley’s emotions.
The first film, which was directed by Pixar veteran Pete Docter, won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. Nine years later, the studio is all set to release the sequel of the film, which is reportedly set one year after the events of the original. Inside Out 2 is directed by Kelsey Mann in his directorial debut.
The sequel sees new emotions cropping up as Riley deals with trials and tribulations of teenage. Mann mentioned in an interview with Polygon that the team had a list of new emotions that they could have added, including schadenfreude, guilt, and more. In the end, the team decided to go with anxiety, ennui, and envy.
While treating Anxiety visually, Kelsey Mann mentioned that they were particularly inspired by Adam Sandler’s Uncut Gems. The black comedy, which was directed by the Safdie Brothers, was known for its chaotic cinematography and staging, as well as its high-tension storytelling.
Adam Habib, who was the director of layout photography on Inside Out 2, mentioned that Kelsey Mann has many visual references from Uncut Gems to convey intensity and anxiety. He mentioned that they envisioned many handheld shots and used wide-angle lenses to convey the required emotions.
Uncut Gems Was Regarded As One Of Adam Sandler’s Best Performances
Adam Sandler has made a career out of his particular brand of brash and loud comedy. He has written, produced, and starred in films such as Billy Madison, Happy Gilmore, Grown Ups, and The Wedding Singer, which established him as a comedic actor with a brand. However, there have been times when he has proven his dramatic skills as an actor.
Apart from Paul Thomas Anderson’s Punch Drunk Love, Sandler received acclaim for his performance as Howard Ratner, a businessman who keeps making wrong decisions. The actor reportedly shadowed real dealers in New York’s Diamond District and was inspired by their styles. He said to Variety,
“They were so excited about a movie being made about the block. They let us into their daily lives. We not only got to be around them making sales and buying stuff to sell, they let us into their family’s lives. We saw them and they would conduct their lives with their families on the phone or people [who] would come by.”
The film has been described as chaotic and anxiety-inducing as the protagonist proceeds to make worse and worse decisions. These visuals reportedly inspired Inside Out 2 director Kelsey Mann, who used the frames as a reference for the film’s treatment of anxiety. Fans were ecstatic when they heard that Uncut Gems was being used as a reference for a Pixar film.
suddenly I’m locked the fuck in pic.twitter.com/KGyoQAHYIq
— JAKE STEVENSON (@The_J_Stevenson) April 16, 2024
Uncut Gems is a master class of anxiety inducing cinema thanks to the direction of the Safdie Brothers.
— Pharaoh On 𝕏 (@PharaohOnX) April 16, 2024
They have so much activity occurring simultaneously which creates this ongoing chaos. A salient example is the scene where KG is locked outside of his shop.
Riley and Joy develop a gambling problem pic.twitter.com/GnqhEiiXRJ
— ParkHoneymooners (@parkhoneymooner) April 16, 2024
I've heard Boogie Nights is the big inspiration behind Toy Story 5 pic.twitter.com/6UUrocsbFG
— The Investigative Examiners (@TruthorConseq12) April 16, 2024
for anxiety? because thats all I felt while watching Uncut Gems
— Fat Kid Deals (@FatKidDeals) April 17, 2024
Uncut Gems also garnered Adam Sandler and the Safdie Brothers multiple nominations during Awards season, with Sandler winning Best Actor at the Independent Spirit Awards.
