‘Elio’ definitely deserved better — and it’s time for Pixar to change course

While watching the trailers for Pixar’s Elio, I found it nearly impossible not to like such a charismatic kid. Many of us who felt lonely during childhood or suffered from a strong sense of not belonging (who hasn’t?) really connected with him profoundly.

Since the movie was announced in 2022, it has faced some setbacks, such as the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike, a director change during production, and then a delay to avoid direct competition at the box office with the live-action adaptation of How to Train Your Dragon. Now, Elio is finally out, and after seeing the film, I wonder: “What is left?” — and what’s left, of course, are thoughts and reviews.

Pixar’s new sci-fi movie follows Elio Solis, an 11-year-old orphan obsessed with space, who longs to be abducted by aliens. When it finally happens, he is accidentally mistaken for Earth’s leader by intergalactic ambassadors.

Okay, I confess I really loved it even before it was released, but turning a blind eye (no offense, kiddo) just isn’t my style. Some parts of the film feel rushed and could have been fleshed out better. As most people already know, the original director, Adrian Molina, was replaced without much explanation. Madeline Sharafian and Domee Shi assumed the direction (along Molina). I think the challenges — mainly significant changes to the script during production — likely caused some issues. Besides that, it’s great that Elio stands out so much in the story, because there aren’t many side characters who get to shine.

That said, I must say that Elio is charming, fun, and heartfelt. It’s truly worth seeing on the big screen. I love the shining and colorful space setting. The visuals of the Communiverse are stunning. The aliens look very cool, as well. Forget those boring and ugly Greys. Here, with an inventive and easy-on-the-eyes design, the aliens are really something.

I’d like to point out that the most important element in the movie is Elio. To be more precise, Elio teaches us how to get through loneliness. Being different doesn’t mean being alone, and sooner or later you meet people who are as unique as you are. I think the movie brings to life the idea that sometimes we go far away only to realize that everything we needed was right under our nose all along.

So, it’s a shame Elio grossed only $35M worldwide, marking the worst opening ever for a Pixar film. For comparison, Elemental, Pixar's previous box-office low, had an opening of $44.5M globally. Honestly, Elio deserves better. This could be a sign that people are becoming less receptive to original stories. Maybe we’ve forgotten that they can usually be imperfect (as are often sequels, reboots, and remakes). Like Elio, audiences should be willing to explore the unknown with brand new (and sometimes fallible) movies.

Pixar’s strategies need to change

To be fair, the audience is not to blame for Elio’s low box office. This bad news is not surprising if you take into account that the movie didn’t have good marketing from Disney. To begin with, the trailers weren’t appealing as a whole for many people, despite the main character’s charisma. It seemed like the company didn’t have enough faith in its own film. Disney didn’t promote Elio because they thought it would flop, which made me wonder: “Is it not performing well because it didn’t get enough promotion, or did it not get good promotion because it wouldn’t perform well?” It’s crazy that I’ve heard many people say they didn’t even know Elio had been released. Releasing it amidst so many franchise films just made things even more complicated.

Recently, in an interview with Fast Company, Pixar’s chief creative officer Pete Docter said, “We have to find out what people want before they know it, because if we just gave them more of what they know, we’d be making Toy Story 27.” I totally agree with Pete Docter and it would be better Disney shared his view. I completely understand that it’s not an easy time for post-pandemic cinema, but The House of Mouse and Pixar should be more confident in their original movies.

'Gatto' - Pixar

DreamWorks has found stylistic and narrative innovations, and it’s about time Pixar did the same. With the announcement of Gatto at this year’s Annecy Festival, the studio seems aware of the need to change course. By only making sequels or prequels, Pixar is gradually losing its DNA, like a powerhouse of visionary and outstanding animation, simply because they aren’t reinvigorating creativity. Although a non-IP movie is always risky, the best ideas can emerge from taking risks, where inventiveness flourishes. I do hope Pixar re-embraces the very idea of releasing original movies more often, combined with some sequels, in order to keep the studio financially and creatively healthy.

I hope at least Elio’s flop opening serves as a lesson and speeds up some changes. But in the meantime, word of mouth can work wonders. Go see Elio!