This ‘Elio' Deleted Scene Hints at an Alternate Version of the Movie
Elio is coming to digital download on Tuesday, August 19, ahead of its physical release on September 9 and eventual arrival on Disney+. To celebrate, Disney has given io9 the exclusive reveal of one of the release's several deleted scenes. This one, called 'Home Visit,' is taken from a version of the movie where the main character, Olga (Zoe Saldaña), was actually Elio's mom. In the final film, she's his aunt, which creates a whole new dynamic. Plus, as you'll see in the setup before the clip, directors Madeline Sharafian and Domee Shi explain how they went way too far overcomplicating this scene. Which is what makes it both perfect for deletion and to watch now.
In the movie, it's much simpler how Elio clones Glordon, and that return to Earth hits much harder. So, we understand why this was cut. But you also see just how much things can change and the scope of the imagination happening at Pixar.
Elio is truly a lovely little movie, and we hope you give it a shot when it's available in your home. Plus, here is the full list of special features with the digital release.
Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what's next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Associated Press
11 minutes ago
- Associated Press
Aubrey Plaza describes grief over husband Jeff Baena's death, likens it to an 'ocean of awfulness'
Aubrey Plaza has described her grief over husband Jeff Baena's death, likening it to 'a giant ocean of awfulness.' The actor spoke on the podcast ''Good Hang with Amy Poehler,' telling her former 'Parks and Recreation' costar in her most detailed public remarks to date that it's been a daily struggle to overcome her grief. Writer-director Baena's January death at age 47 was ruled a suicide. 'Overall, I'm here and I'm functioning,' Plaza tells Poehler at the outset of their interview after being asked how she is coping. 'I feel really grateful to be moving through the world. I think I'm OK. But it's like a daily struggle, obviously.' ___ EDITOR'S NOTE — This story includes discussion of suicide. If you or someone you know needs help, the national suicide and crisis lifeline in the U.S. is available by calling or texting 988. There is also an online chat at ___ She likens her grief to an image from an Apple TV+ horror movie starring Miles Teller and Anya Taylor-Joy. 'Did you see that movie 'The Gorge?'' Plaza asks Poehler. 'In the movie, there's a cliff on one side and then there's a cliff on the other side, and there's a gorge in between, and its filled with all these monster people trying to get them,' Plaza says. 'And I swear when I watched it I was like, 'That feels like what my grief is like,' or what grief could be like … where it's like at all times, there's a giant ocean of awfulness that's right there and I can see it.' Plaza adds: 'And sometimes I just want to dive into it, and just be in it, and sometimes I just look at it. And then sometimes I try to get away from it. But it's just always there, and the monster people are trying to get me, like Miles Teller and Anya Taylor-Joy.' Baena was a writer and director who frequently collaborated with Plaza. He cowrote David O. Russell's 2004 film 'I Heart Huckabees' and wrote and directed five of his own films. Plaza starred in his 2014 directorial debut, the zombie comedy 'Life After Beth.' After largely remaining silent since Baena's death, Plaza is now promoting her new film, 'Honey Don't!' The dark comedy from director Ethan Coen has Margaret Qualley as a private investigator looking into nefarious goings-on in Bakersfield, California.
New York Times
11 minutes ago
- New York Times
If You Have Time for Just One Romance Novel, Make It This One
August Lane AUGUST LANE (Grand Central, 325 pp., $29) is a second-chance romance and a powerhouse of the genre — a sullen, smoldering ember that's one breath away from blazing into an inferno. To be honest, I'm a little mad you're reading my column and not this book right now. August was abandoned by her superstar mother, Jojo, raised by her grandmother and betrayed by the boy she loved. That boy, Luke Randall, stole a song they'd co-written and became a country music star himself. And now Jojo's being inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame, and has asked Luke to sing his signature hit as a duet onstage in Arcadia, their hometown. Everything that was taken from August is on that concert stage, and it will all go up in smoke if she tells anyone that Luke had a co-writer. Contracts, royalties, sponsorships — poof. Revenge is right there for the taking. Except August doesn't know the real reason Luke's kept singing their song. She doesn't know he's been sober for five years, and that he's tired of watching his career wither while he hides his real voice behind radio-friendly production polish. She doesn't know he sees his return to Arcadia as a chance to finally make things right. If she doesn't burn down his career, he'll do it for her. The angst is glorious. Everyone in this book is ruined in some way that will never be fixed. People do monstrous things to the ones they love. This is not the aw-shucks kind of country: It's the murder ballads, the rolling thunder, the long black road — and the best romance I've read all year. The Entanglement of Rival Wizards Next up is an enemies-to-lovers, THE ENTANGLEMENT OF RIVAL WIZARDS (Bramble, 326 pp., paperback, $19.99), in which a magical graduate student has to work with his nemesis from another department in order to keep his funding and complete his degree. Sebastian Walsh, a human wizard studying evocation, keeps his trauma close at hand like a switchblade. Elethior Tourael — he says to call him Thio; Sebastian would rather die — is a snobby half-elf from the rival conjuration department whose relatives have made piles of money off magical weapons. Thio and Sebastian separately pitched projects on how to prevent magical spells from draining a wizard's power — so to save money, the university pairs them up and tells them they're sharing the grant. It's a disaster until the two realize that irritation is one step away from attraction. But just as they're starting to work as a team, both in and out of the lab, family secrets start coming home to roost. This is the complex world building SFF readers live for, paired with the epic swooning of modern romantasy. Raasch gives us a detailed magical military-industrial complex that has its claws in every aspect of Sebastian and Thio's lives. The philosophy of spells, orc religions, parental betrayals — it's a lot, but Raasch always pulls back before it becomes too much. By Marsh and by Moor Finally, indie author Trent has treated us to a new working-class queer Regency, BY MARSH AND BY MOOR (Self-published, ebook, $3.99). Jedediah Trevithick loved his life as a carrier, just him and his cart and his horse. But then he was kidnapped by the press gang, a roving band that snatched up laborers for a Royal Navy desperately in need of sailors. Jed has spent the past five years at sea, dodging cannonballs, hating the officers and planning his escape. Now he's washed ashore at the feet of a London ostler traveling to a place not far from Jed's hometown. Solomon has his own reasons for keeping to the back roads and byways — but he doesn't know them nearly as well as Jed does, even after five years' absence. Solomon and Jed come to depend on each other — and then, slowly, to want more than simple trust and friendship. But Solomon's secrets are the kind you can't run away from — and Jed will have to decide just how much of his life he's willing to risk for love. Regencies with war veteran heroes often paint the Napoleonic period as an orgy of prize money and roguish scars; Trent presents the bleak reality most soldiers and sailors faced instead — being stolen from loved ones and sent to die by cannon or cutlass. But we also see people stand up to the press gangs, protect friends and strangers, and find ways to keep one another safe from kidnappers and abuses of the law. In a subgenre where money is so often the fantasy, it's worth cheering characters who escape via their wits and not their wealth.
CNN
11 minutes ago
- CNN
Watch out, Orlando, a new world theme park capital is rising in the Arabian desert
EDITOR'S NOTE: This CNN Travel series is, or was, sponsored by the country it highlights. CNN retains full editorial control over subject matter, reporting and frequency of the articles and videos within the sponsorship, in compliance with our policy. For decades, Orlando has reigned as the global capital of theme parks — a place where Disney, Universal, SeaWorld and countless other attractions have drawn millions of visitors. But a challenger for the crown has emerged from an unlikely place: the deserts of the Arabian Gulf. In a destination once known more for oil wealth and camel racing than roller coasters, Abu Dhabi is building an adrenaline-charged playground that could give Orlando a run for its money. And it just landed the ultimate weapon: Disney. In May 2025, when Disney announced its first new theme park in 15 years, it chose Abu Dhabi over other key theme park destinations in California, Japan and even Orlando. There was 'no question,' says Josh D'Amaro, chairman of Disney Experiences. The UAE capital, already home to Ferrari World, with the world's fastest roller coaster; Warner Bros. World (built under license by CNN's parent company, Warner Brothers Discovery); Yas Waterworld, an epic network of slides and pools; and more recently, SeaWorld Yas Island Abu Dhabi. It's clear the emirate is emerging as the most serious challenger Orlando has ever faced. Disneyland Abu Dhabi, expected to open on Yas Island in the early 2030s, will be the company's most technologically advanced park ever. Renderings show a shimmering, futuristic tower at its center — more closely resembling Abu Dhabi's gleaming skyline than a traditional European castle. It will be the first Disney resort set on an accessible shoreline, located just 20 minutes from downtown Abu Dhabi. What began as a shared passion between two friends has grown into the "Abu Dhabi House Movement" — a fast-growing community redefining the city's music scene. Co-founder Tom Worton takes us inside this grassroots world, where music lovers, DJs, and cultural spaces collide. The theme park will be developed, built and operated by Miral, the Abu Dhabi company behind Yas Island's roster of other attractions. Disney Imagineers will handle creative design and operational oversight, making sure the new park is in keeping with Disney's brand. Miral's CEO, Mohamed Abdalla Al Zaabi, says demand already exists: 2024 saw a 20% rise in theme park attendance on Yas Island. And expansion is already in the works — a Harry Potter–themed land at Warner Bros. World, more record-breaking rides at Ferrari World, new themed hotels, and even two beaches along Yas Bay Waterfront. Abu Dhabi's location, a medium-haul flight away from both Europe and Asia, and relatively short hop away from India, means millions of potential visitors are within relatively easy reach. 'This isn't about building another theme park,' Saleh Mohamed Al Geziry, Abu Dhabi's director general of tourism, told CNN. 'It's about defining Abu Dhabi as a global destination where culture, entertainment and luxury intersect.' Abu Dhabi's rise comes as Orlando and US tourism more broadly face headwinds. International travel to the US has slowed recently, with lengthy visa processes, unpredictable immigration checks, and heightened security scrutiny all blamed for deterring visitors. Abu Dhabi currently offers a smoother alternative to the US. Many nationalities can enter the UAE visa-free or with an e-visa, and the capital's airport — currently being expanded — has a reputation for fast border processing and easy connections. Despite wider regional tensions, Abu Dhabi continues to position itself as a safe, reliable tourism hub. The UAE ranked highly on the 2024 Global Peace Index. 'In times of uncertainty, people look for destinations they can trust,' Al Geziry added. Once on Yas Island, visitors experience indoor, climate-controlled attractions, shorter lines, and a level of sophistication not typically associated with theme parks. 'For families used to theme parks in the US or Europe, Abu Dhabi is a revelation,' says Steven Hopkinson, a British expatriate living in Abu Dhabi. 'You don't spend hours waiting in the heat, and everything feels more refined, more accessible, which is such a luxury when you're with small children.' Orlando may have Florida sunshine, but in summer it also has humidity and crowds. Temperatures still soar in Abu Dhabi, but its climate-controlled indoor parks keep the experience consistent no matter what's happening outside. Warner Bros. World and Ferrari World are entirely enclosed, with air-conditioned walkways and restaurants, and even SeaWorld's aquariums and animal experiences are under cover. 'Compared to places like Florida, it's a different level of comfort,' said Ahmed El Khoury, a Palestinian expatriate and father of three. Despite the comparisons, Abu Dhabi isn't positioning itself as a direct rival to Orlando — it's aiming to be something more. The emirate sees its theme parks as part of a bigger portfolio of attractions, alongside cultural landmarks, luxury hotels, pristine beaches, and desert adventures. A 15-minute drive from Yas Island, Saadiyat Island is home to the Louvre Abu Dhabi, a franchised outpost of the famous Paris art museum, which welcomed 1.4 million visitors last year, 84% from abroad. The Guggenheim Abu Dhabi and Zayed National Museum are both under construction, adding to a cultural district that will be one of the region's most concentrated hubs of art and heritage. 'Abu Dhabi's unique appeal lies in the diversity of our tourism offering,' Al Geziry added. 'For thrill-seekers, we have record-breaking roller coasters and dune bashing in the desert. For culture lovers, historic sites like Al Ain Oasis and institutions like the Saadiyat museums. And for luxury travelers, world-class dining, private island resorts, and high-end shopping. 'Where else can you start your day under the Louvre's iconic rain-of-light dome and end it in the immersive, story-driven worlds of Warner Bros. World or Ferrari World?' Still, not everyone is convinced that Disney's expansion into the Middle East is a sure bet. 'The region has seen its share of false starts,' says Dennis Speigel, founder of the International Theme Park Services consultancy, comparing it to neighboring Dubai's patchy record with theme park expansion ambitions in the mid-2010s. 'Several of them struggled for profitability in their first decade.' Spiegel believes Abu Dhabi is different. 'Disney made a smart choice. The infrastructure, safety, and existing leisure developments create an ideal entry point,' he told CNN earlier this year. 'It's a much more controlled and calculated move.' Under its Tourism Strategy 2030, Abu Dhabi aims to grow annual visitors from 24 million in 2023 to more than 39 million by the end of the decade. With Disneyland as a centerpiece, those targets may well be surpassed. The city's population has already grown from 2.7 million in 2014 to more than 4.1 million today, a reflection of its rising profile as a regional hub. Yas Island alone has been transformed in the space of a decade from a largely undeveloped stretch of sand to a self-contained resort destination, complete with golf courses, marinas, a mall, more than 160 restaurants, and a cluster of high-end hotels. Orlando's head start remains formidable — it still offers multiple Disney and Universal parks, has decades of brand loyalty, and an infrastructure built to handle tens of millions of tourists annually. But Abu Dhabi is catching up fast. Its combination of frictionless travel, year-round comfort, cutting-edge attractions, and a cultural scene that adds depth to the experience gives Abu Dhabi its own unique selling point, potentially offering a model for the next generation of theme park capital. CNN's Natasha Chen and Liam Reilly contributed to this report.
