Inside Out 2 is only a month away from arriving only in theaters on June 14th, but that doesn’t mean we don’t have anything to share about the film so far, and what better thing to talk about are those legendary easter eggs that Pixar Animation Studios and their artists are known for hiding throughout the film.
These little items are fun little references to past (or future!) films, personal references like a child or relative’s name, and even traditional ones for the studio, like the infamous Cal Arts classroom number “A-113″ or Pixar Ball. Let’s take a look at a handful of the ones we already know about in the film.
No Easter Egg Like U
One very interesting easter egg poses quite an interesting question if you think too hard about it. Fans of the Pixar film Turning Red are likely quite familiar with the fictional boy band, 4*Town. Well, it isn’t just Meilin who is a big fan of the music group, as a poster for them can be found in Riley’s bedroom.
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Where it gets interesting though is that Turning Red took place in the early 2000’s. A teaser poster for the original release of the film showcases Meilin’s student ID with a school year of 2002-2003 if you want to get real specific. Considering Inside Out 2 takes place in the present day, does this mean that Riley is a fan of decades-old music? Or is 4*Town still pumping out hits 20 years later? OR is it just a fun nod from the creatives at the studio? You be the judge.
Dave, Frank, and Caroll
Director Kelsey Mann has showed an amazing amount of reverence for the Muppet performers, saying how excited he was to have Frank Oz (Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear) in the film alongside Dave Goelz (Gonzo, Bunsen Honeydew) reprising their roles from the original Inside Out and being able to work with them.
However, Mann got a bit emotional as he told the story of a special moment he had in the past, encountering Big Bird/Oscar The Grouch performer Caroll Spinney. While he didn’t specify what or where, he did note that there is a nod to Carol Spinney somewhere in Inside Out 2.
We Remember A Forgotten Friend
One of the more emotional moments in the Pixar filmography is what happens to Bing Bong in the original Inside Out. Sorry, just thinking about it leads me to tears. Excuse me while I grab a tissue — anyway, fans of the original film should be happy to know that though Riley may not remember her imaginary friend anymore, Joy sure does.
Which led the artists to a fun creative issue – how do you pay tribute to the character in the new film? And, you can’t do something simple like a picture, as the emotions don’t have cameras or anything. Furthermore, story wise, he has been forgotten, so there are no memory orbs or anything that still exist that you can put some place else.
Well, looking at Joy and her personality, the artists decided she would certainly love something like Origami, right? So, when we see the different emotions and their sleeping areas in headquarters, be sure to look out for an origami interpretation of Bing Bong where Joy sleeps.
A (Distant) Look At Pixar’s Past
A pair of lenses are always good for seeing far distances, and you might even recognize a pair being used in Headquarters. Though, not exactly the same (because of the eyeballs, namely) they certainly look like Lenny, our visual assistance friend that also helped out the toys of several of the Toy Story films. A classic reference for sure.
And speaking of classic, though we haven’t mentioned them here, Director Kelsey Mann has also assured us that the classic Pixar easter eggs (Pixar Ball, Pizza Planet Truck, A-113) are all in the film, so don’t worry.
Pixar’s Inside Out 2 returns to the mind of newly minted teenager Riley just as headquarters is undergoing a sudden demolition to make room for something entirely unexpected: new Emotions! You can find these easter eggs and more when Inside Out 2 arrives in theaters on June 14th.