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Yahoo
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
What Pixar Should Learn From Its Elio Disaster
The Atlantic Daily, a newsletter that guides you through the biggest stories of the day, helps you discover new ideas, and recommends the best in culture. Sign up for it here. Early last year, Pixar appeared to be on the brink of an existential crisis. The coronavirus pandemic had thrown the business of kids' movies into particular turmoil: Many theatrical features were pushed to streaming, and their success on those platforms left studios wondering whether the appeal of at-home convenience would be impossible to reverse. Disney, Pixar's parent company, premiered the Pixar films Soul, Luca, and Turning Red on Disney+, and each was well received. But they were followed by the theatrically released expected smash Lightyear—a spin-off of the beloved Toy Story franchise—which underwhelmed at the box office. Elemental followed, weathering a low-grossing opening to become a sleeper hit. Discussing the studio's next film, Inside Out 2, the company's chief creative officer, Pete Docter, acknowledged the concerns: 'If this doesn't do well at the theater, I think it just means we're going to have to think even more radically about how we run our business.' He had nothing to worry about: Inside Out 2 was a financial sensation—by far the biggest hit of 2024. Yet here we are, one year later, and the question is bubbling back up: Is Pixar cooked? Its latest film, Elio, made only $20.8 million in its first weekend; the performance marked a record low for the company. (The number is smaller than what the first Toy Story earned 30 years ago.) In the weeks since its mid-June debut, Elio hasn't shown the strong box-office 'legs' that bolstered Elemental or proved that it has the earlier movie's major international appeal. It instead seems likely to earn less than $100 million domestically, based on its current performance. It would be the first Pixar movie not to clear that bar, pandemic releases aside. The debut of the studio's newest film used to be a seismic theatrical event, whether it was a sequel or an original story; the Pixar imprimatur was enough. The company has made icons out of a curmudgeonly old man, a garbage-compacting robot, and a rat obsessed with French cuisine. But its status as an instant star-maker seems to have dimmed; name recognition alone is no longer carrying the day. Elio hit theaters after a tumultuous creative process that saw the director, Adrian Molina, leaving the project and the script getting reworked. The film follows a quirky, outer-space-obsessed preteen who, after the death of his parents, dreams of being abducted by aliens. This goal comes to fruition, leading him on a bunch of wacky adventures with an assemblage of blobby cosmic creatures. While the science-fiction angle was always present, reports suggested that other elements were lost over time: Elio (voiced by Yonas Kibreab) was initially supposed to be more 'queer-coded,' according to The Hollywood Reporter, to reflect Molina's own identity. Elio's mother was still alive, to be voiced by America Ferrera. The character's parents were written out in the reworked script, and Elio's disaffection became primarily rooted in loneliness rather than any sense of feeling 'different.' [Read: What the success of Inside Out 2 means for Hollywood] These creative shifts arose after an initial test screening reportedly ended with zero participants saying they'd want to see it in theaters. The changes didn't leave Elio unwatchable. It's a perfectly serviceable and cute diversion for kids, busy with playfully designed aliens; it's got some laser-blasting action that could appeal to preteens too. The protagonist does, however, come across as a little purposeless. The loss of Elio's parents is barely explained; his relationship with his aunt, Olga (Zoe Saldaña), is pleasant but lightweight. Elio's journey just doesn't have enough motivation to convince the audience that it's worth undertaking: After joining the extraterrestrials, he does little but bounce from quest to quest, pretending to be a high-ranking ambassador from Earth. Writing human characters has never been Pixar's forte, unless they're very cartoonish, and Elio suffers from that weakness. The studio has a rich history of introducing intense creative revisions in the middle of making a film. The original director of Ratatouille left the project, and the veteran hand Brad Bird took over; the end result was an artistic high point for Pixar. Brave was set to be the studio's first movie with both a female protagonist and a female director, Brenda Chapman; Pixar then removed Chapman midway through production, and the final film was a muddled effort. Still, the company's relative success with on-the-fly changes might have convinced higher-ups that Elio could be salvaged. Or maybe Docter, who is also one of Pixar's most successful filmmakers, saw Elio's box-office potential as a minor consideration after the sensation that was Inside Out 2. The company now has three more giant sequels on the horizon: Toy Story 5, Incredibles 3, and Coco 2, the last co-directed by Molina. Despite returning to its familiar franchises, the company isn't giving up on original storytelling. Several projects not based on preexisting properties are in the works; each one is animal-centric, a more typical mode for Pixar. But the fact that Elio underwent such extensive tweaks does suggest internal trepidation—and that Pixar could be shying away from more novel, personal works in favor of safer material. [Read: Pixar's talking blobs are becoming more and more unsatisfying] Elio's failure to resonate with audiences likely won't help matters. Would the movie have ever worked, however? I somehow doubt it. Pixar movies tend to thrive on the basis of their worlds; the galactic landscape—which emerged unscathed from all the tweaking—felt far too thinly sketched to me, even setting aside the low-stakes adventure taking place within it. Then again, my favorite Pixar film in recent years shares more in common with Elio than with Inside Out. Turning Red is a relatively grounded coming-of-age piece about a teenage girl. (She later turns into a giant red panda.) The director of Turning Red, Domee Shi, was brought in to salvage Elio after Molina stepped aside. But the latter film's rudderlessness emphasizes how crucial Shi's intimate connection to Turning Red was in making it so special—just as Molina's personal touch could have helped Elio feel more purposeful. The executives at Disney are likely pleased with the seeming priority shift. Big sequels and tales about cute animals tend to be an easy bet, as evidenced by Disney's own animated-movie track record. Pixar won't get by forever reheating its leftovers, though: It needs to foster filmmakers with specific points of view, such as Shi, to become the creative bedrock of its next generation. So much of the animation world is tilting toward adapting recognizable brands over inventive storytelling, with rivals such as Illumination finding success with Super Mario Bros.; Warner Bros. is threatening audiences with a ghastly looking update of The Cat in the Hat. Pixar has long stood out by bringing something less trifling to theatergoing families. Elio's failure in theaters may sting, but hopefully it won't entirely deter that mission. Article originally published at The Atlantic
Atlantic
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Atlantic
Pixar's Must-See Era Is Over
Early last year, Pixar appeared to be on the brink of an existential crisis. The coronavirus pandemic had thrown the business of kids' movies into particular turmoil: Many theatrical features were pushed to streaming, and their success on those platforms left studios wondering whether the appeal of at-home convenience would be impossible to reverse. Disney, Pixar's parent company, premiered the Pixar films Soul, Luca, and Turning Red on Disney+, and each was well received. But they were followed by the theatrically released expected smash Lightyear —a spin-off of the beloved Toy Story franchise—which underwhelmed at the box office. Elemental followed, weathering a low-grossing opening to become a sleeper hit. Discussing the studio's next film, Inside Out 2, the company's chief creative officer, Pete Docter, acknowledged the concerns: 'If this doesn't do well at the theater, I think it just means we're going to have to think even more radically about how we run our business.' He had nothing to worry about: Inside Out 2 was a financial sensation —by far the biggest hit of 2024. Yet here we are, one year later, and the question is bubbling back up: Is Pixar cooked? Its latest film, Elio, made only $20.8 million in its first weekend; the performance marked a record low for the company. (The number is smaller than what the first Toy Story earned 30 years ago.) In the weeks since its mid-June debut, Elio hasn't shown the strong box-office 'legs' that bolstered Elemental or proved that it has the earlier movie's major international appeal. It instead seems likely to earn less than $100 million domestically, based on its current performance. It would be the first Pixar movie not to clear that bar, pandemic releases aside. The debut of the studio's newest film used to be a seismic theatrical event, whether it was a sequel or an original story; the Pixar imprimatur was enough. The company has made icons out of a curmudgeonly old man, a garbage-compacting robot, and a rat obsessed with French cuisine. But its status as an instant star-maker seems to have dimmed; name recognition alone is no longer carrying the day. Elio hit theaters after a tumultuous creative process that saw the director, Adrian Molina, leaving the project and the script getting reworked. The filmfollows a quirky, outer-space-obsessed preteen who, after the death of his parents, dreams of being abducted by aliens. This goal comes to fruition, leading him on a bunch of wacky adventures with an assemblage of blobby cosmic creatures. While the science-fiction angle was always present, reports suggested that other elements were lost over time: Elio (voiced by Yonas Kibreab) was initially supposed to be more 'queer-coded,' according to The Hollywood Reporter, to reflect Molina's own identity. Elio's mother was still alive, to be voiced by America Ferrera. The character's parents were written out in the reworked script, and Elio's disaffection became primarily rooted in loneliness rather than any sense of feeling 'different.' These creative shifts arose after an initial test screening reportedly ended with zero participants saying they'd want to see it in theaters. The changes didn't leave Elio unwatchable. It's a perfectly serviceable and cute diversion for kids, busy with playfully designed aliens; it's got some laser-blasting action that could appeal to preteens too. The protagonist does, however, come across as a little purposeless. The loss of Elio's parents is barely explained; his relationship with his aunt, Olga (Zoe Saldaña), is pleasant but lightweight. Elio's journey just doesn't have enough motivation to convince the audience that it's worth undertaking: After joining the extraterrestrials, he does little but bounce from quest to quest, pretending to be a high-ranking ambassador from Earth. Writing human characters has never been Pixar's forte, unless they're very cartoonish, and Elio suffers from that weakness. The studio has a rich history of introducing intense creative revisions in the middle of making a film. The original director of Ratatouille left the project, and the veteran hand Brad Bird took over; the end result was an artistic high point for Pixar. Brave was set to be the studio's first movie with both a female protagonist and a female director, Brenda Chapman; Pixar then removed Chapman midway through production, and the final film was a muddled effort. Still, the company's relative success with on-the-fly changes might have convinced higher-ups that Elio could be salvaged. Or maybe Docter, who is also one of Pixar's most successful filmmakers, saw Elio 's box-office potential as a minor consideration after the sensation that was Inside Out 2. The company now has three more giant sequels on the horizon: Toy Story 5, Incredibles 3, and Coco 2, the last co-directed by Molina. Despite returning to its familiar franchises, the company isn't giving up on original storytelling. Several projects not based on preexisting properties are in the works; each one is animal-centric, a more typical mode for Pixar. But the fact that Elio underwent such extensive tweaks does suggest internal trepidation—and that Pixar could be shying away from more novel, personal works in favor of safer material. Elio 's failure to resonate with audiences likely won't help matters. Would the movie have ever worked, however? I somehow doubt it. Pixar movies tend to thrive on the basis of their worlds; the galactic landscape—which emerged unscathed from all the tweaking—felt far too thinly sketched to me, even setting aside the low-stakes adventure taking place within it. Then again, my favorite Pixar film in recent years shares more in common with Elio than with Inside Out. Turning Red is a relatively grounded coming-of-age piece about a teenage girl. (She later turns into a giant red panda.) The director of Turning Red, Domee Shi, was brought in to salvage Elio after Molina stepped aside. But the latter film's rudderlessness emphasizes how crucial Shi's intimate connection to Turning Red was in making it so special—just as Molina's personal touch could have helped Elio feel more purposeful. The executives at Disney are likely pleased with the seeming priority shift. Big sequels and tales about cute animals tend to be an easy bet, as evidenced by Disney's own animated-movie track record. Pixar won't get by forever reheating its leftovers, though: It needs to foster filmmakers with specific points of view, such as Shi, to become the creative bedrock of its next generation. So much of the animation world is tilting toward adapting recognizable brands over inventive storytelling, with rivals such as Illumination finding success with Super Mario Bros.; Warner Bros. is threatening audiences with a ghastly looking update of The Cat in the Hat. Pixar has long stood out by bringing something less trifling to theatergoing families. Elio 's failure in theaters may sting, but hopefully it won't entirely deter that mission.
Los Angeles Times
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Pixar's ‘Elio' reportedly stripped of queer representation after test screenings
The version of 'Elio' that hit theaters on June 20 is not the same movie that Adrian Molina, the film's original director, intended to put out. Pixar removed LGBTQ+ elements from the animated feature after receiving negative feedback from test screenings with audience members and executives, according to the Hollywood Reporter. The film follows an 11-year-old boy named Elio who is mistaken for Earth's ambassador by aliens and is beamed up to the Communiverse — an intergalactic organization — to represent the planet. Trouble began in the summer of 2023 during a test screening in Arizona. After the film was over, audience members were asked to raise their hand if the movies was something they'd pay to see in theaters. No one did, causing Pixar executives to worry. According to THR, Pixar Chief Creative Officer Pete Docter informed Molina after a separate screening for company executives that storyboard artist Madeline Sharafian would be promoted to co-director. Molina, who is gay, was given the option to co-direct the film with Sharafian but chose to exit the project instead after his original vision was changed. Shortly after, Docter announced internally that 'Turning Red' director and co-writer Domee Shi would join 'Elio' as co-director. Changes to the film included getting rid of a scene in which Elio shows off a pink tank top made out of beach litter to a hermit crab, as well as removing picture frames from Elio's bedroom wall that displayed a male crush. Executives also asked him to make the main character more 'masculine.' 'I was deeply saddened and aggrieved by the changes that were made,' former Pixar assistant editor Sarah Ligatich, who was a member of the company's internal LGBTQ+ group and provided feedback during the production of 'Elio,' told THR. Ligatich added that a number of creatives working behind the scenes left after the new directors went in a different direction. 'The exodus of talent after that cut was really indicative of how unhappy a lot of people were that they had changed and destroyed this beautiful work,' she said. Actor America Ferrera was originally attached to the project as the voice of Elio's mother, Olga. Following Molina's departure, the 'Barbie' actor left the production because the film lacked 'Latinx representation in the leadership.' The character was later changed to be Elio's aunt and was voiced by Zoe Saldaña. In March 2025, Disney Chief Executive Bob Iger announced Molina would return as co-director for 'Coco 2,' a follow-up to the 2017 film he co-wrote and co-directed. 'Elio' earned Pixar its worst domestic opening after it premiered on June 20. he film made $21 million at the box office and currently holds a 'fresh' 83% critics rating on the website Rotten Tomatoes. 'The Elio that is in theaters right now is far worse than Adrian's best version of the original,' a former Pixar staffer who worked on the film told THR. '[The character] Elio was just so cute and so much fun and had so much personality, and now he feels much more generic to me,' added another Pixar staffer. In a 2018 interview with the Huffington Post, Molina said he was 'all for it' when asked what it would take for an animated studio to green light a story with a queer protagonist. The Times reached out to Pixar for comment, but the studio did not respond.
Geek Feed
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Feed
Queer Erasure: These Reveals for Disney Pixar's Elio are Getting Out of Hand
Even before Disney Pixar's Elio was released, the movie was already getting bashed for not having enough marketing and looking pretty generic; and while some fans were hoping it could pull off an Elemental and get good word of mouth, this latest reveal about the film may have just cemented the failure of Elio at the box office. According to a recent reveal from The Hollywood Reporter, some Pixar staffers had revealed that Elio underwent a major rework—particularly removing several queer elements associated with the character to make him more masculine and general audience friendly. ' I was deeply saddened and aggrieved by the changes that were made… The exodus of talent after that cut was really indicative of how unhappy a lot of people were that they had changed and destroyed this beautiful work,' says former Pixar asst. editor Sarah Ligatich. As it turns out, much like the original director Adrian Molina, Elio was supposed to be queer-coded in the film, with implications that he was very much into fashion and that he even had a crush on a boy. While the movie was said to have been enjoyed by test audiences, they were then asked if any would watch it in theaters and nobody had raised their hand—resulting in the heads of Pixar to rework the movie and make Elio more 'masculine'. An anonymous Pixar staffer confirmed: 'It was pretty clear through the production of the first version of the film that [studio leaders] were constantly sanding down these moments in the film that alluded to Elio's sexuality of being queer.' As you would expect, when this news broke out, several people online had decides to speak out about Pixar. This wasn't the only time they had done queer erasure. A few months back, they were also getting flak for removing a transgender storyline in their Disney+ series Win or Lose. If anything, Elio is still getting some nice word-of-mouth from anyone whose seen it, but after the release of the THR report, fans are now thinking this could be the final nail in Elio 's box office coffin. For now, we'll just have to wait and see. In the meantime, Elio is now showing in theaters.
Fox News
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Fox News
Pixar staff reportedly 'deeply saddened' LGBTQ elements were cut from studio's latest film, 'Elio'
Multiple Pixar employees are reportedly very unhappy with the theatrical cut of Pixar's latest film, "Elio." According to The Hollywood Reporter (THR), staff at the beloved animated film studio, which is owned by Disney, are upset that LGBTQ elements of the film were removed before its final theatrical release. "It was pretty clear through the production of the first version of the film that [studio leaders] were constantly sanding down these moments in the film that alluded to Elio's sexuality of being queer," an anonymous artist who worked on the film told the outlet. Several Pixar staff members revealed to the outlet that "Elio" – the latest Pixar offering about a boy who is mistakenly beamed up from earth to interact with an intergalactic body of alien races – was heavily edited to be less overtly LGBTQ. "According to multiple insiders who spoke to The Hollywood Reporter, Elio was initially portrayed as a queer-coded character, reflecting original director Adrian Molina's identity as an openly gay filmmaker," the piece stated. After Molina screened his cut of the film for Pixar leadership, the director exited the project. Rumors circulated that his post-screening conversation with Pixar COO Peter Docter "hurt" him. Molina was replaced by co-directors Madeline Sharafian and Domee Shi. Elements cut from the film were said to include Elio performing in his own makeshift fashion show, his love for environmentalism, as well as scenes suggesting he had a crush on another boy. As the outlet noted, "this characterization gradually faded away throughout the production process as Elio became more masculine following feedback from leadership." Despite these changes, the movie became the worst box office bomb in Pixar's history, earning only $20.8 million domestically during its opening weekend. The movie cost over $200 million to make and had been delayed for about a year, after it was initially slated for release in March 2024. Sarah Ligatich, a member of Pixar's internal LGTBQ group PixPRIDE, told The Hollywood Reporter that she was "deeply saddened and aggrieved by the changes that were made." She added that there was an "exodus of talent" after staff saw Sharafian and Domee's cut of the film, noting that the exit was "really indicative of how unhappy a lot of people were that they had changed and destroyed this beautiful work." The anonymous artist characterized the changes to the film, telling THR, "Suddenly, you remove this big, key piece, which is all about identity, and Elio just becomes about totally nothing. The Elio that is in theaters right now is far worse than Adrian's best version of the original." Reports of "Elio" having its LGBTQ themes sanded down follow Pixar courting controversy for LGBTQ themes in its other films. Pixar's 2022 film "Lightyear" featured a same-sex kiss that was reportedly removed and then reinstated for the film's theatrical version. Pixar's 2020 film "Onward" features a female cyclops character who mentions her girlfriend at one point in the film. The anonymous Pixar artist called out company executives for the cuts to "Elio," saying, "I'd love to ask Pete and the other Disney executives whether they thought the rewrite was worth it. Would they have lost this much money if they simply let Adrian [Molina] tell his story?" Docter, Pixar and Disney did not immediately reply to Fox News Digital's requests for comment.
