Random House Children’s Books is gearing up to publish a range of Inside Out 2 licensed titles in advance of the June 14 theatrical debut of Disney/Pixar’s CG-animated sequel.
Six new SKUs will roll out to retailers worldwide on May 28, including Step Into Reading titles Changes for Riley (ages four to six) and Riley’s New World (ages six to eight); a Meet the Emotions picture board book for toddlers; and a 144-page junior film novelization.
Inside Out 2‘s early licensing program also includes a LEGO Mood Cubes construction set, plush and figures from Just Play, and colorful kids bandages from Band-Aid.
Set two years after the original blockbuster, the sequel continues the story of protagonist Riley (now 13 years old) and her core emotions, who are dealing with a whole new ensemble of puberty-driven feels these days, including ringleader Anxiety and her henchmen Envy and Embarrassment.
The first film grossed more than US$858 million worldwide in 2015. And things look promising for the sequel, whose trailer generated 157 million views in its first 24 hours online last year, breaking a major Disney record held by 2019’s Frozen 2.