As predicted, the Walt Disney Company is using its new character, Anxiety, from Inside Out 2 in its forthcoming and present toy lines. Whether or not parents want to purchase Anxiety dolls for their children to snuggle is a different story.
Character poster of Anxiety for Inside Out 2 (2024), Pixar
Pixar and Disney may have a hard time convincing good parents that they should allow children to play with Anxiety. Yet that’s exactly the task they have at hand given Inside Out 2 will prominently feature the personification of a disorder.
One might consider that the other emotions would likewise be problematic if they were tipped into the arena of medical conditions. Imagine if Sadness were instead Depression. Imagine if Disgust were instead Self-Loathing. That’s the issue Disney faces with having Riley deal with Anxiety and then turning that emotional emoji into a loveable, huggable plushie.
Anxiety Doll by Disney / Pixar; Screenshot from ToyWiz.com on April 24th, 2024
Maybe even worse for whoever designed the toy, not only is this the personification of anxiety itself, but it even shakes if it has batteries inside! That’s surely a reference to anxiety attacks… which are sometimes referred to as panic attacks.
Of course, one might suggest that normal anxiety is an emotion experienced by everyone. However, there’s disagreement on that point. And certainly, we can all probably come to a consensus that there are no disorders related to Joy, the protagonist of the first film. Anxiety, on the other hand, is the first word in a number of disorders. And while a villain that is the embodiment of anxiety is an interesting idea… turning it into toys for children is probably a deranged concept. After all, do parents really want kids associating this character with any sort of acceptable disorder?
MEET ANXIETY — Disney and Pixar’s “Inside Out 2” returns to the mind of newly minted teenager Riley just as a new Emotion shows up unexpectedly. And Anxiety, voiced by Maya Hawke, isn’t the type of Emotion who will take a back seat either. Directed by Kelsey Mann and produced by Mark Nielsen, “Inside Out 2” releases only in theaters Summer 2024. © 2023 Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved.
Anxiety disorders include generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), panic disorder, and various phobia-related disorders. Each has unique features but shares the commonality of excessive fear or worry that affects the functioning of individuals experiencing them.
- Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) involves persistent and excessive anxiety and worry about activities or events — even ordinary, routine issues. The worry is out of proportion to the actual circumstance, is difficult to control and affects how you feel physically. It often occurs along with other anxiety or mood disorders.
- Panic Disorder involves repeated episodes of sudden feelings of intense anxiety and fear or terror that reach a peak within minutes (panic attacks). These episodes are characterized by symptoms such as heart palpitations, chest pain, and shortness of breath or dizziness. The worry about future attacks can also cause significant changes in behavior.
- Phobia-related disorders involve an intense fear or aversion to specific objects or situations. Although it is reasonable to be anxious in some circumstances, the fear people with phobias feel is out of proportion to the actual danger caused by the situation or object.
Given that Disney desperately needs Inside Out 2 to perform well at the box office, this is already a troublesome situation for a company that is praying Pixar can pull of some magic once again. If audiences are wary of another woke effort, or anything that is harmful for their kids, Disney may yet again be playing dangerously with their brand value.
WHO’S THERE? – In Disney and Pixar’s “Inside Out 2,” Joy (voice of Amy Poehler), Sadness (voice of Phyllis Smith), Anger (voice of Lewis Black), Fear (voice of Tony Hale) and Disgust (voice of Liza Lapira) aren’t sure how to feel when Anxiety (voice of Maya Hawke) shows up unexpectedly. Directed by Kelsey Mann and produced by Mark Nielsen, “Inside Out 2” releases only in theaters Summer 2024. © 2023 Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved.
Let us know what you think about this situation in the comments below. As always, keep reading That Park Place for all the news that should be fun!
disney should buy a few for themselves when inside out 2 tanks at the box office.