Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Inside Out 2!
The highly anticipated Inside Out 2 has finally hit theaters, and with it came a wave of fan theories about what our beloved Riley Andersen might be going through as a teenager. Leading up to the movie, the trailers hinted at new emotions and teenage angst, sparking a major question among fans: what deep, dark secret could Riley be hiding? While many speculated about significant life changes, the actual secret revealed in Inside Out 2 takes a surprisingly mundane turn, impacting one popular Inside Out theory in the process.
Building upon the emotional landscape established in the 2015 hit Inside Out, the sequel introduces five new emotions to Riley’s internal world: Anxiety, Envy, Embarrassment, Ennui, and Nostalgia. These fresh characters drive much of the new narrative, but a central storyline revolves around a mysterious “deep dark secret” that Riley’s original emotions stumble upon.
Riley’s Secret Isn’t What Many Expected: No LGBTQ+ Reveal
It’s Literally About Burning a Rug
Before the release of Inside Out 2, a prominent theory gained traction suggesting that the film would reveal Riley to be LGBTQ+. This theory was fueled by trailers that seemed to hint at Riley developing feelings for Val, an older girl on her hockey team. Many viewers hoped Inside Out 2 would embrace LGBTQ+ representation, a step some felt was overdue for Pixar. The movie even seemed to set up this reveal, creating anticipation for a significant moment of self-discovery for Riley.
Inside Out 2 even includes a post-credits scene that initially seems to tease a bigger reveal about Riley’s identity.
Early in the film, Joy and the original emotions are banished to Riley’s “deep storage,” a vault holding her deepest secrets. There, they encounter a physical manifestation of Riley’s “deep dark secret,” a shadowy figure reluctant to divulge its true nature. This scene led many viewers to believe the secret would be Riley grappling with her queer identity, imagining it as a powerful metaphor for repressed feelings on the verge of surfacing.
Related: Inside Out 2’s Post-Credits Scene Explained
Inside Out 2‘s post-credits scene revisits this vault, with Joy returning, seemingly ready to uncover a profound truth about Riley. However, the “deep dark secret” is revealed to be incredibly anticlimactic: Riley once burned a hole in a rug. This comedic reveal, while a funny moment in the film, was a source of disappointment for viewers hoping for meaningful LGBTQ+ representation in Inside Out 2, missing a chance to validate a popular fan theory and offer queer representation.
The LGBTQ+ Theory Now Shifts Inward
Riley’s Internal World Becomes the Focus
Despite the movie’s actual secret, many fans still cling to the idea of Riley being LGBTQ+ within the Inside Out universe. However, the film’s narrative choices complicate this. While the movie hints at a possible crush on Val, Riley never explicitly identifies as LGBTQ+ or discusses such feelings with her friends. This means that if Riley is queer, it remains an unspoken, internal aspect of her identity.
Related: Inside Out 2’s 21 Easter Eggs & Pixar References Explained
Given this, any future reveal of Riley’s LGBTQ+ identity would likely have to originate from within her mind itself. One might expect some manifestation of her sexuality within her emotional landscape, but Inside Out 2 offers no such hints. Throughout the film, Riley’s crushes and romantic interests appear to be exclusively boys, maintaining a seemingly heterosexual presentation.
How Inside Out 3 Could Still Explore Riley’s LGBTQ+ Identity
A Time Jump is Key
While Inside Out 2 didn’t address the LGBTQ+ theory, Inside Out 3 still has the potential to explore this aspect of Riley’s life. Similar to Inside Out 2, a time jump in Inside Out 3 could introduce an older Riley, perhaps in college or young adulthood. This time jump would allow for Riley to have explored her identity further and potentially come to terms with being LGBTQ+. Pixar could then incorporate this journey of self-discovery into the narrative of a third film, suggesting that Riley’s understanding of her identity simply hasn’t occurred within the timeline of Inside Out 2 yet.
Was Riley’s Secret Changed Due to Disney Pressure?
Reports Suggest Disney Wanted to Make Riley “Less Gay”
Reports surfaced before Inside Out 2‘s streaming release suggesting that Disney pressured Pixar to minimize any perceived LGBTQ+ undertones in Riley’s character. This alleged pressure stemmed from backlash following Lightyear‘s underperformance, which some Disney executives reportedly blamed on a brief same-sex kiss. Pixar employees reportedly confirmed Disney’s sensitivity, stating they were asked to adjust lighting in scenes to reduce any hint of romantic chemistry between Riley and Val.
For the most part, the queer elements of Pixar’s films can be edited out.
Pixar’s history with LGBTQ+ representation has been subtle, often limited to minor characters with implied rather than explicit queer identities. Characters like Lake in Elemental and Officer Specter in Onward are examples. Notably, none of these characters explicitly act upon or declare their queerness in a significant way, making these elements easily removable from the films. Many hoped Inside Out 2 would break this pattern by making Riley’s potential queer identity a more integral part of her story. Instead, Inside Out 2 arguably reinforced Pixar’s cautious approach to LGBTQ+ representation, causing further frustration for fans.
Despite the controversy, Inside Out 2 became a massive box office success, grossing over $1.6 billion worldwide and becoming the highest-grossing movie of 2024.
Given the subtle hints towards Riley’s potential queerness within Inside Out 2, including her attraction to Val and other female characters, some believe her “deep dark secret” was originally intended to be related to her identity. It’s plausible that Disney’s pressure led Pixar to pivot to a more innocuous and humorous secret, sacrificing a potentially impactful moment of representation. However, the specific content of the original secret remains unconfirmed, leaving this as speculation.
Disney’s Hesitation May Limit Future LGBTQ+ Representation
Inside Out 2‘s Success Might Encourage “Safe” Choices
If Disney truly believes that Lightyear‘s brief same-sex kiss contributed to its box office failure, the company may continue to shy away from centering LGBTQ+ characters in major theatrical releases. While Inside Out 2‘s success is positive, the reports of Disney wanting to tone down any “gayness” are concerning. Disney might misinterpret Inside Out 2‘s success as validation of their “play-it-safe” approach regarding LGBTQ+ themes, potentially hindering future representation in Pixar films. However, Disney has shown more willingness to include explicit LGBTQ+ characters in TV projects, suggesting a possible divergence in approach between film and television.
Related: Frozen 3 Can Only Break Elsa’s Romance Story Rule On 1 Condition
Ultimately, Disney’s anxieties about box office performance appear to be driving their cautious approach to LGBTQ+ representation. If Inside Out remains a theatrical franchise, Disney may continue to pressure Pixar to avoid explicit LGBTQ+ themes, potentially limiting the depth and authenticity of representation in future installments. Instead of embracing inclusivity, Disney might be taking steps to become less inclusive in their animated films, starting with Riley and Inside Out 2. This makes it less likely that Pixar will revisit Riley’s secret or explore her potential queerness in an Inside Out 3.
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Inside Out 2
PG
Adventure Comedy Animation Drama Family
7/10
Release Date June 14, 2024
Runtime 96 Minutes
Director Kelsey Mann
Writers Meg LeFauve, Dave Holstein, Kelsey Mann
Prequel(s) Inside Out
Cast
See All
Inside Out 2 is the sequel to the 2015 original film, which starred a young girl named Riley with a head full of emotions. – literally. With Amy Pohler as Joy, Bill Hader as fear, Mindy Kaling as Disgust, Phyllis Smith as Sadness, and Lewis Black as Anger, the all-star cast brought to life the emotions that adolescents face as they grow, change, and adapt to new situations. This sequel, currently in development, will bring Amy Pohler back as Joy, with Riley, now a teenager.
Franchise(s) Disney
Studio(s) Disney
Distributor(s) Disney
Main Genre Animation
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