Disney Pixar’sDream Productionshas officially done something that seemed impossible in bothInside OutandInside Out 2.The spinoff series dives into a different part of Riley’s mind than the previous films, further exploring the area where dreams are made. While this studio setting was a brief feature of 2015’sInside Out,Dream Productionshas further explored the characters responsible for giving Riley the most memorable dreams possible. They aren’t in headquarters, but the directors of Dream Productions are still, as it turns out, highly important for Riley’s growth and ability to process her tween life.
Joy, Sadness, and the rest of the gang take a back seat inDisney’sDream Productionswhile dream director Paula Persimmon (Paula Pell) takes center stage. Paula has been creating hit dreams for years, but as Riley nears teenagerhood, she finds that unicorn mermaids and copious amounts of glitter won’t get her far anymore. She must find a way to create hipper dreams while continuing to put Riley’s needs first. By thefinal episode ofDream Productions, things have really fallen apart, andPaula has no choice but to remove the reality distortion filter and show Riley that she is dreaming.
Dream Productions Introduced Riley To Part Of Her Mind
Riley Talked To Paula In A Lucid Dream
When Paula removed the reality distortion filter inDream Productions, everyone on set was suddenly pulled into the dream. Riley could see the strange cells in costumes for what they really were, and she had more control over the events of the dream itself. Back at headquarters,Sadness read through the manuals and discovered that Riley was having a lucid dream.
I Was Not Expecting Pixar’s Dream Productions To Tackle Nepo-Babies (But I Kind Of Love It)
Dream Productions expands the world of Inside Out but also shifts gears to be an entertainment industry mockumentary that tackles nepo-babies.
In her lucid dream, Riley was able to recognize that she was dreaming and not only control things within the confines of this cognitive reality but also have an actual conversation with Paula. So, rather than trying to create dreams that would guide Riley in the right direction, Paula helped the girl by simply talking to her. This isthe first time that any of the characters that live in Riley’s mind have actually been able to have a face-to-face conversationwith the girl herself, and that’s a pretty big deal.
Riley Hasn’t Actually Met Any Of Inside Out’s Main Characters
BothInside OutandInside Out 2have predominantly followed the characters of headquarters—Riley’s central feelings. Joy is the traditional protagonist of these Pixar films, and through each step of Riley’s development, she focuses entirely on helping her girl. The same is true for other emotions. Sadness, Anger, Fear, Disgust, and even Anxiety care about nothing more than Riley’s well-being, though they sometimes have their own ways of going about achieving this. Still,Riley has never met or become aware of these characters.
Inside OutandInside Out 2are available to stream in Disney+.
Riley meeting any of her inner parts seemed impossible inInside OutandInside Out 2, butDream Productionshas just proven that this isn’t the case. The first movie revealed that emotions like Joy or Sadness can leave headquarters and make their way on set at Dream Productions. So,it’s certainly possible thatInside Out’s emotion characters could meet Riley in a lucid dreamlike Paula did. If Pixar takes this approach, it could mean some interesting opportunities in theInside Outfranchise’s future.
Lucid Dreaming Could Be A Key Part Of Riley’s Future
Inside Out 3 Could Take This Further
Dream Productionsexplores how dreams help people process their lives, worries, and decisions. In the spinoff series' ending, Riley’s lucid dream was an effective way for her to work through a more complicated problem. She didn’t remember talking to Paula once she woke up, but the emotional impact of their conversation left quite an impression. Now thatDream Productionshas opened this door,the nextInside Outmoviecould take the idea further. Of course, just because it can doesn’t necessarily mean it should—but there may be further reasons to dig deeper.
The Inside Out franchise has been all about exploring actual psychological concepts through adorable animated characters.
TheInside Outfranchise has been all about exploring actual psychological concepts through adorable animated characters. Lucid dreaming is a real thing, and many people have, at one point, been aware they were dreaming and gained a certain amount of control over the dream—Dream Productionsjust made this concept a little more literal and fun. Similarly, communicating with one’s inner parts and emotions is also an accurate psychological tool, whichInside Outcould explore in unique ways. If lucid dreaming is involved, Riley and Joy could actually have a conversation one day.
Dream Productions
Set in the whimsical world of Riley’s mind, this Inside Out spin-off series follows the crew at Dream Productions, the studio responsible for creating Riley’s dreams and nightmares. As they craft cinematic experiences each night, the team faces unexpected challenges, blending humor and creativity in a vivid exploration of the subconscious.
