'Inside Out 2’s' Director Tells Us The Sad Reason He Had To Include An End-credits Scene That Explained Riley’s Deep, Dark Secret

When Pixar’s "Inside Out" premiered in 2015, it invited audiences to explore the world inside young Riley’s mind, where her emotions took center stage. Now, with "Inside Out 2" joining the 2024 movie release schedule, fans have been able to reconnect with Riley as she navigates her teenage years—an experience that quickly made the sequel one of Pixar’s best movies and the highest-grossing animated film. Yet, in a recent interview, director Kelsey Mann revealed that a surprising narrative twist called for an end-credits scene to clarify Riley’s "deep, dark secret"—and his reason for doing so might just surprise you.

In an interview with CinemaBlend's Managing Editor Sean O'Connell at the SCAD Savannah Film Festival, Mann admitted that he originally wanted to keep Riley’s secret ambiguous, trusting audiences would embrace a little mystery. But as reactions to early screenings rolled in, it became clear that viewers' imaginations were running wild—wild enough to merit a course correction to safeguard Riley’s innocence.