Inside Out 3 Must Let Another Emotion Take Control Of Riley

After the unprecedented success of Inside Out 2, fans expect another movie in this franchise due to the financial benefits it could provide Pixar and the company’s reputation. Many different avenues can be taken when it comes to a potential Inside Out 3, and that includes which character controls the majority of Riley’s life.

Audiences have witnessed Riley grow up and go through some big moments in her life, but ultimately, the emotions inside her brain make the decisions and help to influence what happens. They’re the actual lead characters in the Inside Out franchise, and a possible third movie should look to take a new route.

Who Has Controlled Riley So Far?

Every single emotion seen in the Inside Out franchise has had a turn in controlling Riley because they take over whenever the situation calls for it. If Riley is upset, then Sadness jumps on the control panel; if she’s feeling mad, then Anger will be the one to take the reigns. But there have been two emotions that have primarily been shown as the main leaders and the ones controlling the bulk of Riley’s life so far, and that’s because of where she’s been as a person at that time.

In the original movie, Joy was the focused character and controlled most of what Riley did, although she learned the lesson of accepting help and working with others. That’s because Riley was younger in that movie and didn’t deal with as many complex emotions; therefore, overwhelming joy and happiness were her main feelings. That all changed in Inside Out 2 when a bunch of new emotions were thrown into the mix, and Joy and Sadness spent the bulk of the film away from the control panel, being unable to influence anything about Riley’s life.

This led to Anxiety being the character who had the biggest impact on Riley as she ran everything. This led to some impactful scenes that really connected with audiences watching the movie because Riley was dealing with complex feelings as she wrestled with different aspects of her life at the time. It was a powerful storyline that led to some very adult topics being touched upon in a manner that was accessible to everyone, and it is one of the reasons why the film was so well received.

Why A New Emotion Should Take Control To Help The Story

Inside Out 3 will likely see Riley at a different stage of her life in terms of age and what she’s dealing with. Whether it’s heading to university or dealing with heartbreak from love, there could be an easy way for different topics to be covered that will demand new emotions being placed in the central spot. It will help the story develop and continue from what’s happened already, with fans knowing what Joy and Anxiety will provide if they’re in the lead role. Seeing them be the main characters controlling Riley would be disappointing as it would be going over material that fans have already seen.

Pixar could look to add brand new emotions as they did for the sequel, which would open up the possibility of completely different storylines and connections between the emotions themselves, let alone the way they impact Riley. If Riley is older or dealing with different circumstances, new emotions might be necessary to tell the story Pixar wants to convey. However, it doesn’t have to be a new character being the emotion controlling Riley as there are plenty of great existing options that are already established who could be bumped up to be given a more prominent role.

It Would Allow Pixar To Emotionally Connect With Audiences

Ultimately, the emotions are crucial in connecting with the audience on a wider scale and on a deeper level. It has made the Inside Out franchise so successful because it can easily appeal to children and adults. The bright colors and funny jokes connect with younger viewers, while adults are able to understand the true emotions that are being told and can be made to think about their past or decisions that they have made in the past.

People have grown to expect that from this franchise, so if Pixar does deliver Inside Out 3, audiences will want to see that theme continue. Joy and Anxiety’s role as the main characters in Riley allowed for certain storylines to be told that people could understand from different perspectives, creating a completely unique plot for a children’s animation.

That is why Pixar must put a different emotion in charge of Riley’s life for Inside Out 3. This would open up the world even more to new possibilities that can take audiences on another incredible journey. Plus, having a different emotion in charge of Riley would also create a new aspect of her character, developing Riley while also helping the story itself.