Hollywood’s summer movie anxieties gave way to joy this weekend with the massive debut of Disney and Pixar’s “Inside Out 2.” The animated sequel earned $155 million in ticket sales from 4,440 theaters in the U.S. and Canada, according to studio estimates Sunday.

It’s the second-highest opening weekend in Pixar’s nearly 29 years of making films and the second-biggest animated opening ever (behind only the $182.7 million launch of “Incredibles 2” in 2018). It’s also the biggest of 2024, which had not had any films debut over $100 million. With an estimated $140 million from international showings, “Inside Out 2” had a staggering, and record-breaking, $295 million global debut.

The success is significant for Pixar, marking a much-needed return to form for a studio that has had a string of underwhelming launches including “Elemental,” which did eventually become a success, and “ Lightyear,” which didn’t. It’s also important for the greater Hollywood ecosystem and the health of theatrical exhibition, which had been running at a 26% deficit before this weekend. “Inside Out 2” marks the biggest opening since “Barbie” launched to $162 million last July.

“This is a monumental weekend for movie theaters,” said Paul Dergarabedian, the senior media analyst for Comscore.

Kelsey Mann directed “Inside Out 2,” which picks up with Riley as she turns 13. That means the arrival of new emotions like Anxiety (Maya Hawke), Ennui (Adèle Exarchopoulos), Envy ( Ayo Edebiri ) and Embarrassment (Paul Walter Hauser) to the mix. Amy Poehler once again lent her voice to Joy in a cast that includes Tony Hale, Lewis Black and Phyllis Smith as Fear, Anger and Sadness, respectively. It got glowing reviews from both critics (92% on Rotten Tomatoes) and audiences who gave it an A CinemaScore, suggesting that this won’t be a first-weekend wonder either. With kids out of school and an open market until “Despicable Me 4” enters the ring over the Fourth of July holiday weekend, “Inside Out 2” is just getting started.

The film is estimated to have cost $200 million to produce, which does not account for the millions spent on marketing. Going into the weekend, it was tracking for a debut in the $90 million range, which would have been in line with “Inside Out’s” first weekend in June 2019. Even that would have been considered a terrific achievement, and enough to claim the biggest opening of the year — finally unseating March releases like “ Dune: Part Two ” and “ Godzilla x Kong.”

It got off to a huge start with $13 million from Thursday preview showings, which started at 3 p.m. As the only major release of the weekend, its theatrical footprint was equally impressive — playing on 400 IMAX screens, more than 900 “premium large format” screens and over 2,500 3D screens.

“The family audience still loves going to the movies,” Dergarabedian said. “As an outside of the home experience, it’s still a relative bargain.”

This re-commitment to theatrical comes after Disney sent several Pixar films straight to its streaming service, Disney+, during the pandemic including “Soul,” “Luca” and “Turning Red.” Last month, the New York Times reported that Pixar had decided to return its focus to feature films (and not producing shows for Disney+) and that it had laid off 14% of its workforce (about 175 employees).

“As important as this weekend is for the industry at large, for Pixar this is huge. They’ve been trying to get their groove back since the pandemic,” Dergarabedian said. “Pixar had for decades one of the most impressive box office track records ever. They’ve really come back big.”

Second place went to Sony’s “Bad Boys: Ride or Die,” now in its second weekend with $33 million, down only 42% from its opening. In just 12 days, it’s already earned more than $112 million domestically and $214 million globally. As of Friday, the four-film franchise had crossed the $1 billion mark.

“Bad Boys’” success last weekend was the start of a higher-earning turnaround for the lagging summer movie season. For Hollywood, the summer season, which runs from the first weekend in May through Labor Day, usually represents about 40% of the yearly box office. The deficit is still significant, with ticket sales down 28% for the summer and 24% for the year (and this is still before “Barbenheimer”), but it’s progress in a more promising direction nonetheless.

“We’re not going to get there overnight,” Dergarabedian said. “But it’s good news for theaters. And we have some big movies on the way.”

Bahr writes for the Associated Press.

A staff report

June 16, 2024 – Happy Father’s Day! What better way to celebrate than by sitting down with your dad and enjoying some quality films together? Whether you’re looking for heartwarming classics or thought-provoking dramas, here are five movies that are sure to make this Father’s Day special:

1. To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)

Gregory Peck delivers an unforgettable performance as Atticus Finch, a principled lawyer in the American South who teaches his children valuable lessons about morality and justice. Based on Harper Lee’s novel, this timeless film is a poignant exploration of fatherhood and standing up for what is right.

Watch it: To Kill a Mockingbird on Prime Video

2. Moneyball (2011)  

For the baseball-loving dads out there, “Moneyball” offers a fresh take on the sport with Brad Pitt portraying Billy Beane, the innovative general manager of the Oakland A’s. This David-vs.-Goliath story, based on a true story and Michael Lewis’ book, showcases how unconventional thinking can lead to unexpected victories.

Watch it: Moneyball on Netflix, Prime Video

3. National Lampoon’s Vacation (1983)

Chevy Chase stars as the well-intentioned but hapless Clark Griswold, who embarks on a disastrous cross-country road trip with his family to the elusive Walley World. Full of humor and iconic moments, this comedy is a perfect choice for a lighthearted Father’s Day movie marathon.

Watch it: National Lampoon’s Vacation on Prime Video

4. Minari (2020)

“Minari” tells the heartfelt story of a Korean American family striving for a better life in rural Arkansas. Steven Yeun’s portrayal of the father, Jacob, navigating the challenges of farming and family dynamics, is both tender and powerful. This critically acclaimed film offers a touching exploration of immigrant experiences and familial bonds.

Watch it: Minari on Max, Prime Video

5. Sr. (2022)

In this moving documentary, Robert Downey Jr. pays tribute to his father, Robert Downey Sr., a pioneering filmmaker known for his avant-garde works. Through personal interviews and archival footage, the film celebrates their unique relationship and explores themes of legacy and artistic influence.

Watch it: Sr. on Netflix

This Father’s Day, honor your dad with a cinematic journey through these diverse and enriching stories that celebrate the complexities of fatherhood, family, and the human experience. Whether you prefer classic tales of courage, inspiring underdog stories, or intimate documentaries, these films are sure to create lasting memories and meaningful conversations with your dad.

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Jay-Z was born in Brooklyn, N.Y., and Beyoncé in Houston. But Exhibit A of their global entertainment dominance sits squarely in Southern California on the Malibu coast, a gleaming 40,000-square-foot concrete-and-glass mansion that the couple bought last year for $200 million, a record sum for a single-family home in California. Their combined net worth, according to Forbes, is estimated at more than $3 billion.

The power that hip-hop’s premier couple wields goes well beyond the symbolic. They have teamed up on some of the most storied collaborations of the last decade, traversing stadiums across North America, along with two shows in Paris, for the sometimes bumpy On the Run tour in 2014. Four years later, they ran it back with the more harmonious On the Run II, which grossed more than $250 million. In between, in 2016, they rented out the Louvre and outshone the “Mona Lisa” in the six-minute music video for “Apeshit,” in which Beyoncé shunned her signature vocal runs to instead rap bar-for-bar alongside her husband. (The family collaborations have extended to the couple’s children, with eldest child Blue Ivy Carter joining her mother on the 2023 Renaissance world tour.)

The last few years, though, have belonged to Beyoncé, who outpaced Jay-Z — and most of the recording industry — while touring behind the 2022 blockbuster “Renaissance” album and then releasing “Cowboy Carter,” another record-breaking album that saw the artist plant her flag firmly in country music terrain. The Renaissance tour, which was her highest-grossing (and the eighth highest of all time) included four late-summer stops at SoFi Stadium and a concert movie, which former Times reporter Marissa Evans called “a grandiose dare to anyone who tried to ask us to be less of ourselves.” Meanwhile, the “Renaissance” album continued to shake dance floors across the globe, while also earning Beyoncé, 42, a 32nd Grammy, making her the most decorated artist in the history of the awards show.

Beyoncé performs on stage during the Renaissance tour at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood on Sept. 4.

(Kevin Mazur / WireImage / Parkwood)

Even in an “off year,” Jay-Z, 54, still went where few others have gone. Last summer, the Brooklyn Public Library honored him with “The Book of HOV,” a multimedia exhibit showcasing unseen photos, archived artifacts and some of his original masters. Visitors didn’t even have to step inside the library to marvel at his greatness; some of his most timeless lyrics were stamped along the building’s towering exterior. It’s another reason why galaxy-brained entrepreneurs would line up to pay $500,000 for the chance to pick his mind over dinner — even if the man himself says it’d be a fool’s decision.