Inside Out 2: The Heartwarming Bing Bong Easter Egg Explained (& Where To Spot It) (2024)

Pixar's Inside Out 2 is a hit with audiences, both for its heartwarming story and adorable Easter eggs, including one of Bing Bong. Released in June 2024, Inside Out 2 catches up with the familiar emotions — Joy, Sadness, Fear, Disgust, and Anger inside young Riley Andersen's mind. However, as a 13-year-old, Riley is experiencing puberty and with it, a new slew of Inside Out 2 emotions —Anxiety, Envy, Embarrassment, and Ennui. The relatable story proved just as effective as the first Inside Out, and the film has grossed over $1.6 billion at the worldwide box office (via Box Office Mojo).

Inside Out 2 explored puberty the way the original examined the last vestiges of childhood. In 2015's Inside Out, Bing Bong is Riley's imaginary friend, and he plays a crucial role. As Riley grows older, Bing Bong feels lonely, so he starts collecting happy memories in a bottomless bag. When Joy and Sadness find themselves lost from Headquarters, they find Bing Bong, who eagerly agrees to help. However, his childlike innocence makes their journey back to Headquarters challenging. In an moment of selflessness, Bing Bong sacrifices himself. And that sacrifice isn't forgotten in Inside Out 2.

An Origami Bing Bong Figure Can Be Spotted In Joy's Bunk In Inside Out 2

This Tiny Detail Adds a Touch of Magic to Joy’s Room

One of the earliest and most memorable Easter eggs in Inside Out 2 is an origami figure of Bing Bong placed in Joy's bunk as Riley drifts to sleep after winning an ice hockey match. As Joy sits in her bunk, the camera momentarily pans across the space, revealing the Bing Bong figure, keeping watch as she sleeps. It’s a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moment, but for those who catch it, the sight of the beloved imaginary friend in origami form is sweet and nostalgic. While Riley might have grown past Bing Bong, he's still kept alive by Joy.

The last time Bing Bong was seen in Inside Out, he was fading away as he told Joy to "T ake her to the moon for me," and keeping the origami of Bing Bong so close to where she sleeps is Joy's way of remembering his dying wish. And the imaginary friend clearly impacted more than just Riley and Joy, as all the animators loved him as well. Inside Out 2 production designer Jason Deamer told Variety, “Everyone wanted to bring back Bing Bong.”

Other Easter Eggs In Inside Out 2

Discover the Elio Easter Egg

Pixar has a long-standing tradition of embedding Easter eggs in their films, offering fans a playful nod to other works and company history. These hidden elements add an extra layer of enjoyment for viewers who love to spot references and connections across Pixar’s cinematic universe. Deamer told Variety,

“We have to entertain ourselves when we work. We wanted to have a digital backlot from all the movies we’ve ever built, just like you would on a live-action set or backlot. And that’s where it came from. It just snowballed into what it is today. We just find anywhere we can to hide stuff because it’s a super fun thing to do.”

In Inside Out 2, the Easter eggs are subtle. One noteworthy example is a reference to the upcoming Pixar film Elio, which is set for release in 2025. This Easter egg is featured during a memory sequence involving sarcasm, where a reference to Elio can be spotted within the memory spheres. Another recurring Pixar symbol, the Luxo Ball, appears hidden in the background of the scene when the emotions are inside Riley's mind as a parade of careers.

The film also includes references to the fictional band 4*Town from Turning Red, Lance Slashblade from a game Riley used to play, and Ralph Eggleston, a beloved Pixar animator who passed away in 2022. Eggleston was influential in the creation of Toy Story, Monsters, Inc., and the original Inside Out, making his tribute a meaningful inclusion for fans and production members. Between this and the Bing Bong Inside Out 2 Easter egg, viewers can get ready to cry all over again on a rewatch.

Inside Out 2

Inside Out 2 is the sequel to the 2015 original film, which starred a young girl named Riley with a head full of emotions. - literally. With Amy Pohler as Joy, Bill Hader as fear, Mindy Kaling as Disgust, Phyllis Smith as Sadness, and Lewis Black as Anger, the all-star cast brought to life the emotions that adolescents face as they grow, change, and adapt to new situations. This sequel, currently in development, will bring Amy Pohler back as Joy, with Riley, now a teenager.

Release Date

June 14, 2024

Cast

Amy Poehler , Tony Hale , Maya Hawke , Liza Lapira , Lewis Black , Phyllis Smith , Diane Lane