'Inside Out 2' hits $155 million domestic debut, second-highest animation opening ever

Disney and Pixar brought a big dose of joy to the box office this weekend.

"Inside Out 2" debuted with an estimated $155 million domestically, the second-highest theatrical opening of an animated film and the first film since Warner Bros.' "Barbie" to top $100 million during its debut.

Of note, Disney does not consider its 2019 live-action remake of "The Lion King," which generated $191.7 million during its debut, an animation film.

"Inside Out 2" is expected to haul in $295 million globally for the weekend.

"Let's issue a collective 'welcome back' to Disney, Pixar, and the summer box office," said Shawn Robbins, founder and owner of Box Office Theory."

Both Pixar and Walt Disney Animation struggled to regain a foothold at the box office after pandemic restrictions lessened and audiences returned to theaters. Disney had opted to debut a handful of animated features directly on Disney+ and so parents were trained to seek out new Disney titles on streaming, not in theaters, even when they did return to the big screen.

Compounding Disney's woes, many audience members began to feel that the company's content had grown overly existential and too concerned with social issues beyond the reach of children.

"Many narratives have been written about the two studios and moviegoing in recent times, so this powerful debut by 'Inside Out 2' is a breath of fresh air," Robbins said.

The film is the fifth Pixar feature to surpass $100 million during its debut in North America and the second-biggest opening weekend ticket seller for the studio just behind 2018's "The Incredibles 2," which tallied $182.6 million. Around 12 million patrons flocked to cinemas to see the flick, according to data from EntTelligence.

"This is clearly a big win for