Disney and Pixar are presenting another deep dive into the world in Riley’s mind with their animated spinoff show ofInside Out,Dream Productions. Exclusive to Disney+, this four-episode miniseries goes outside of Headquarters to explore the titular Hollywood-esque film studio inside Riley’s head. There, the show follows the cast and crew as they try to produce memorable, high-quality dreams as Riley sleeps at night.
Combined with the record-breaking success ofInside Out 2in 2024,Pixar’sDream Productionscontinues to expand the world and success of theInside Outfranchise with a unique and hilarious parody of the filmmaking industry.Considering the many imaginative possibilities ofInside Out’s concept, greenlightingDream Productionsgave Pixar a prime opportunity to write a creative new story. Though this spinoff doesn’t center aroundRiley’s main emotions asInside Outdoes, it develops the story of Riley’s growth and shines a spotlight on once-overlooked characters working tirelessly inside her mind.
Dream Productions Takes Place Between Inside Out 1 & 2
The Story of Dream Productions Fills The Gap Between The Movies
ThoughInside Out 2left the door open for more stories with its ending,Dream Productionstakes the franchise back in time instead of forward to tell its story. In an unusual move, the series takes place before the second film but after the events of the firstInside Out. This is stated in one of the trailers forDream Productions, with the narrator saying that the story occurs before the team at Headquarters meetsRiley’s new emotions inInside Out 2.
Dream Productions' place in the franchise’s timeline is evident based on the absence of Riley’s new emotions: Anxiety, Envy, Embarrassment, and Ennui.Headquarters also looks the way it did before it was remodeledwhen Riley first experienced puberty in the second movie. In addition, Riley is shown to have gotten braces put on her teeth by the timeInside Out 2began, whileDream Productionsdepicts her without braces. It will be interesting to go back to that time in Riley’s life considering she’s since grown and matured.
Dream Productions Brings Back Headquarters In A Big Way
Though The Show Is About Dream Productions, Headquarters Will Get A Sizable Role As Well
Given that Riley’s core emotions are the faces of theInside Outfranchise, it’s no surprise that the gang at Headquarters appears in some capacity inDream Productions. The show features interviews with Joy and the other four emotions at Headquarters, explaining their work and the impact Dream Productions has had on Riley’s mind. Though bringing these emotions back for the spinoff could’ve risked taking the spotlight from the team at Dream Productions, their talks with the camera about the studio fit the documentary-style structure of the story.
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In this show within a show, Joy explains to her audience that Dream Productions helps Headquarters process some of Riley’s memories that require more effort. As a result,the latter works very closely with the film studio and gives feedback on the dreams they make. One scene even shows Anger unleashing his trademark fire through the phone as he shares his review of the studio’s latest dream.
Dream Productions Brings Back Rainbow Unicorn
A Side Character From Inside Out Shall Get The Spotlight She Deserves In Dream Productions
Along with Riley’s core emotions, the miniseries brings back a notable side character fromInside Out: Rainbow Unicorn.This colorful character is the star of one of Riley’s dreams,Fairy Dream Adventure VII,in which she gave Joy’s favorite performance as an actor. Rainbow Unicorn was more of a source of humor in the film, with her shown hilariously failing to sneak away with a plate of cookies from the craft service table. She was last seen in the movie failing to impress her audience on the studio set before Jangles the Clown crashes the set.
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Given that Rainbow Unicorn is a major actor working at Dream Productions, it’s natural that the new miniseries brought the character back as it shows more of what happens at the studio inside Riley’s mind.Dream Productionsreveals thatRainbow Unicorn has existed in Riley’s mind since she was at least two years old. Dream director Paula even has a picture of herself with Rainbow Unicorn and baby Riley from their first big hit dream. Unfortunately, the show sees Rainbow Unicorn quitting the studio, furious that her last dream with Paula got terrible reviews.
Dream Productions Brings Back Riley’s Imaginary Boyfriend
Rainbow Unicorn Is One Of Many Side Characters Who Return In Dream Productions
Dream Productionsalso brings back Riley’s Imaginary Canadian Boyfriend, another memorable side character who first appeared inInside Out. This supporting character was technically last seen near the end of the first film. During the movie’s climax,Joy creates multiple clones of him with a machine in Imagination Land, using them as a human ladder to help her traverse the Memory Pit, return to Headquarters, and fix Riley’s mind. Since the character is an imaginary construct inside Riley’s mind that can easily be replicated, it’s not difficult to see how he could return inDream Productions.
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Riley’s imaginary crush fromInside Outreappears in the miniseries as he stars in the new dreams filmed in her mind. His increased presence is due to dream studio headJean Dewberry wanting Paula and her coworkers to produce more romantic and dramatic dreamsto better appeal to Riley’s maturing tween mind. As a result, the Imaginary Boyfriend parodies the teen heartthrobs that Hollywood typically markets to attract younger audiences, fitting perfectly with the show’s premise.
All in all,Dream Productionsbridges the gap that divided the first twoInside Outfilms as a “betweenquel,” highlighting the titular studio, its main players, and its relationship to Headquarters. With characters like Rainbow Unicorn and Riley’s Imaginary Boyfriend getting more screen time at Dream Productions, this miniseries expands the lore of the franchise and provides a familiar but unique story set in the world ofInside Out. Though it may be several years beforeInside Out 3is released,Dream Productionsshould help fill the void with another whimsical exploration of the inner workings of Riley’s brain.
