Inside Out 2 had an 'advisory group' of teenage girls from across the country to help make the film authentic

Lina Portman2 weeks ago

0 2 minutes read

When Upside down was released almost a decade ago, it tapped into something that global audiences didn't know they needed. Being able to look at our emotions from the inside out has proven to be an incredibly cathartic experience, as mental health is a concept that everyone can relate to. Now, with the release of In reverse 2, we find the main character Riley as a teenager. While this is also a phase that most of us can relate to, for filmmakers it's been a while, and creating an authentic story about a teenager could prove tricky. That's where Riley's Crew comes in.

I recently sat down to speak with Inside Out 2 director Kelsey Mann and producer Mark Nielsen, and as you might imagine, neither of them is a teenager. To properly tell Riley's story, they brought in an “advisory group” known as Riley's Crew, and Leslie Mann gave me a very logical explanation as to why this was a necessity:

This is actually an advisory group. I had this idea pretty early on because I want to make sure the story we're telling is authentic and real. It's been a long time since I was 13 and I've never been a 13 year old girl. So I ask them, “Can I have an advisory group of teenage girls?” And they say, “Of course.” I thought I should sell them, but they say, “How many do you want?” I was like, “Oh, nine o’clock?”

It's kind of funny that director Kelsey Mann thought this was going to be a tough sell for the studio, and they almost immediately allowed Riley's Crew to take off. Mann went on to explain that they also wanted diversity within the group of nine, which is why they came from all over the country. It must have worked too, because people go crazy for In reverse 2, specifically how it captures what it's like to be an anxious teenager.

Let me try to extrapolate on that. Not only has Inside Out 2 has been dominating the box office, but the fans and the reviews go crazy for the movie. Our official magazine reward Inside Out 2 4.5/5 stars, and the internet is shutting down over the immense relativity. As far as sequels go, this answer is about the best you could ask for.

Diving into a sequel is a risky move, as fans these days can get angry when you touch a beloved property. The first one Upside down is considered one of the best Pixar movies, and we can only imagine that taking your time played a part in the success of the sequel. It took almost a decade to Inside Out 2 to finally be released in theaters, and it even inspired Patton Oswalt will take his time on a potential Ratatouille following. This seems to me to be the success of Inside Out 2 affects how the industry does things with sequels in general.

Experience the authenticity Riley's Crew helped inject Inside Out 2 by seeing the film in theaters now! Keep it here on CinemaBlend to see what else is happening box office pipeline in 2024.