For decades, it seemed that Pixar couldn’t lose. Starting with “Toy Story” in 1995, the Emeryville, Calif.-based computer animation studio rolled out hit after hit, with movies that achieved critical acclaim as well as box office riches.
But after the COVID-19 pandemic struck, even the once-unflappable Pixar fell victim to the doldrums plaguing the entertainment industry and the company’s own missteps. Films such as “Lightyear” did poorly at the box office, partly due to their timing during the pandemic and a perceived falloff in quality , for which Pixar had long been considered the gold standard. Parent company Walt Disney Co.
has cut back spending across the board, resulting in about 175 layoffs at Pixar, largely due to the studio pulling back on series for streaming service Disney+. Now with “Inside Out 2,” the much-anticipated sequel to 2015’s “Inside Out,” Pixar is looking to make a comeback. Hitting theaters this week, “Inside Out 2” is tracking for one of the highest opening weekends of the year so far, with a projected $80 million to $85 million in ticket sales from the U.
S. and Canada. Some analysts say the movie could become the first film of the year to clear $100 million in its domestic box office opening weekend.
(The movie’s budget is estimated at $175 million .) “Pixar was the leading edge of creating this art form,” said Ron Bernard, academic chair of animation and motion design at Otis College of Art and Design. “I’m hopin.
