According to the Walt Disney Company, “Inside Out 2” surpassed $1 billion in worldwide box office revenue within a month of its release, making it the fastest animated film to do so in history.
The star-studded sequel is already the highest-grossing movie of the year, but it’s expected to face stiff competition from another animated series movie over the Fourth of July weekend.
“Of course, the upcoming Despicable Me,” says film critic Victor Aragon, “and Inside Out is great, too. But with ticket prices so high, Ultraman Rising and Thelma are great movies to watch at home on Netflix.”
Aragon is the co-creator of the family entertainment blog FanDads, and these days he’s focused not just on what’s in the movies, but also what it takes to get the whole family to the movies.
The average movie ticket in the United States currently costs $10.78, but in cities like Chicago, where Aragon lives, it can cost up to $20 per person to go to the theater.
![This image released by Illumination and Universal Pictures: "Despicable Me 4."](https://ewscripps.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/a45a0db/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1024x551+0+0/resize/1024x551!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fewscripps-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F0e%2F38%2Fa54d35a444e3888035b9690aec61%2Fap24179345935455.jpg)
Illumination & Universal Pictures/AP
“Movies are now streaming to your home much faster,” Aragon said, “so if you can’t see it within the first two weeks, you can wait another week and watch it at home for a lot less money than going to the cinema.”
Movies like “Inside Out 2” aren’t yet available as streaming options, and Aragon said word of mouth will continue to drive audiences to theaters. For older audiences and families with teenagers looking for something to see this Fourth of July, Aragon recommended more thrilling options.
“‘A Quiet Place’ is another movie the whole family can enjoy,” Aragon suggests. “It’s rated PG-13, so it might not be as scary. If you’ve seen ‘Stranger Things,’ you might be familiar with some of the things that happen in this movie.”
The horror prequel “A Quiet Place: Part 1” was released at the end of June and grossed $52 million in the U.S. and Canada. It wasn’t enough to knock “Inside Out 2” out of its top spot at the box office, but that ranking may change this week, as “Despicable Me” opens on Wednesday, July 3 and is expected to gross more than $125 million.