Pixar’s latest animated feature, Pixar Elio, has made headlines — but for all the wrong reasons. With just $21 million in the US and $14 million globally on its opening weekend, Elio has had the worst opening in Pixar’s history. For a studio once known for spawning multi-billion-dollar franchises like Toy Story and Frozen, this marks a dramatic fall from grace.
A Tale That Never Took Off
Elio follows a lonely boy who is accidentally transported to an alien realm called the “Communiverse.” Despite the film’s visual charm and heartfelt premise, audiences found it confusing and scattered. The narrative jumps from Earth to space to villain ships and back again, including an Elio clone subplot that left younger viewers perplexed and disengaged.
With a production budget of approximately $150 million, the film is unlikely to break even — a crushing blow for Pixar and Disney.
Too Many Cooks, Not Enough Cohesion
The film’s production history sheds light on its chaotic structure. Originally directed by Adrian Molina, it later brought on Domee Shi (of Turning Red) and co-director Madeline Sharafian, along with three screenwriters. The result? A film that feels more like a patchwork than a streamlined story Pixar Elio.
“Even these lesser films are always extremely thought-out,” says critic Jason Solomons, “but the mechanism creaks under the strain of tying up loose ends and giving arcs to every character.”
Originals Are Risky in the IP-Obsessed Era
Pixar Elio flop isn’t isolated. Disney’s Wish, Strange World, and Pixar’s own Onward also disappointed at the box office. In contrast, familiar franchises like Inside Out 2, Despicable Me 4, Moana 2, and Sonic the Hedgehog 3 continue to rake in billions.
As Nicholas Barber writes for the BBC, “When it comes to younger viewers, it seems, it’s lack of familiarity that breeds contempt.” Kids — and parents — appear more inclined to choose stories they already recognize, especially in a world saturated with choice and shorter attention spans.
📉 Notable Recent Original Flops
- Ruby Gillman: Teenage Kraken – DreamWorks
- Migration – Illumination
- Strange World – Disney
- Elio – Pixar
Too Much Refinement, Not Enough Risk
Studios are hesitant to let creators run with simple, bold ideas. The need for committee oversight and endless script rewrites adds bloat. Compare that with the elegance of classics like Finding Nemo — whose title was its plot — and the difference is stark.
Pixar and Disney are paying the price for playing it safe while simultaneously overcomplicating original content.
📖 Related Reads
🔗 External Reference
Read the original BBC feature on Elio’s box office failure
Conclusion: Can Pixar Recover?
Elio is more than a single misstep — it’s a symptom of a broader industry dilemma. As studios lean ever harder into established IP, the space for fresh, original storytelling is shrinking. If Pixar and its competitors want to reignite the golden age of animated storytelling, they may need to go back to the basics: one strong vision, one great story.
