‘Inside Out 2’ and ‘Barbie’ Highlight What Women (Really) Want at the Movies

Pixar's breakout box office supersmash is more proof, yet again, that women and girls want more than *only* female superhero movies, fantasy actioners and fairy tales

A post-Barbie winning streak…

Inside Out 2 earned $30 million yesterday. That is slightly more than the $29 million it earned on “Cheap Ticket Tuesday,” bringing its six-day total to $235 million. Partial credit can go to Juneteenth as a relatively new “some grown-ups get the day off” holiday. It’s the 12th-biggest Wednesday (sans inflation) and the third-biggest non-opening Wednesday behind Star Wars: The Force Awakens ($38 million) and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker ($32 million). With $438 million global and counting, it’ll pass $500 million late tonight or early tomorrow, with an outside shot at ending Sunday night past $650 million worldwide. Inside Out 2 joins Barbie to show what’s possible with an A-level tentpole for and about women that isn’t just a franchise-friendly fantasy or a Marvel/DC movie.