'Inside Out 2' domestic box office debuts at $155 million

Liza Lapira, June Squibb, Yvette Nicole Brown, Maya Hawke,Kensington Tallman, Amy Poehler, Ayo Edebiri, Tony Hale and Lewis Black attend the world premiere of the film "Inside Out 2" in Los Angeles, California, US, June 10, 2024. REUTERS

Animated Pixar movie "Inside Out 2" generated an estimated $155 million in US and Canadian ticket sales over the weekend, the year's largest debut, according to estimates released on Sunday.

The Friday through Sunday tally topped the $82.5 million brought in by previous box office leader "Dune: Part Two" in March.

Walt Disney, which owns animation studio Pixar, said the movie in international markets brought in a global total of $295 million through Sunday.

The results provided a boost for theatre owners, who have fewer movies to show this year because of delays caused by strikes in Hollywood last year.

Total domestic ticket sales through Sunday are running 24% behind the same point in 2023, Comscore said.

The last two Pixar releases, "Elemental" and "Lightyear," had mediocre ticket sales. Three prior Pixar films were sent straight to streaming during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Inside Out 2" is a sequel to the 2015 hit about the inner workings of a young girl's mind. In the second installment, lead character Riley has become a teenager and is grappling with new emotions including anxiety and envy.

The original "Inside Out" opened with about $90 million in its first weekend in the summer of 2015.