Pixar’s Latest Film Just Bombed in a Big Way

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Pixar has officially hit a new low with the Elio opening weekend box office.

Previously renowned as the pinnacle of cinematic storytelling, the animation studio saw its lowest opening weekend earnings in its 39-year span with the release of the space-themed original movie “Elio”. The film managed to rake in only $21 million domestically and $14 million internationally, resulting in a meager global debut of $35 million.

For a company that initially generated more than $180 million in ticket sales every weekend, this represents an impressive decline or downfall.

The surprising twist? What was expected to revive heartfelt storytelling with “Elio” turned out to become a lesson in caution instead.

Although Disney publicly expresses optimism that Pixar’s latest film, Elio, will follow in the footsteps of last year’s unexpected hit, Elemental (which earned close to half a billion dollars globally), early indications point towards it not experiencing the same resurgence. In contrast to Elio, Elemental opened with more success, raking in $29.6 million in North America. Even Lightyear, which underperformed, managed to gross $50.5 million domestically during its debut.

A Budget Black Hole?

Disney and Pixar have been promoting Elio as a $150 million project. However, some Hollywood experts are questioning that amount, estimating the actual cost could be around $300 million due to extensive revisions, last-minute changes, and expensive production hold-ups. Although “reshoots” aren’t common in animation, the idea still stands—it’s been reported that key scenes were remade or reworked several times as the film grappled with finding its tone and character.

Prior to its debut, there were rumblings in the industry that Elio would face challenges. The frequent changes in creative direction and cast during filming, combined with the need to strike a balance between emotionally resonant storytelling and commercially viable sci-fi visuals, might have led to its mixed reviews and the high reported production expenses.

Box Office Bloodbath

Not only did Elio suffer a crushing defeat, but the competition’s success was salt in the wound. In its second weekend, DreamWorks’ adaptation of How to Train Your Dragon brought in an impressive $37 million, leaving Elio far behind. To add to the misery, Danny Boyle’s highly anticipated sequel 28 Years Later earned a massive $90 million worldwide, almost twice as much as what Elio made globally.

Even if a movie receives excellent CinemaScore ratings, like ‘Call Me By Your Name’ with an A for adults and an A+ for kids, it can still struggle if it doesn’t start off powerfully. In fact, many critics found the film to be unmemorable at its best, and at its worst, they deemed it as the poorest Pixar production ever made.

A high CinemaScore, such as ‘Call Me By Your Name’ with an A for adults and an A+ for children, doesn’t guarantee a movie’s success if it lacks a strong initial impact. Critics have described the film as forgettable at best and the worst Pixar production in history at worst.

A Franchise-First Future?

Recently, Pixar has been predominantly successful with sequels, such as the recent release of Inside Out 2 which opened to a staggering $155 million and has since grossed over $1.7 billion worldwide. This success serves to highlight Elio’s misfortune even more.

Originally, Pixar was known for innovative storytelling, but now, it’s more of a risky financial venture that the company appears to be less eager to engage in. With projects like Toy Story 5 and Finding Marlin under development, it’s evident where they are placing their bets for the future.

The Final Verdict

It’s possible that Elio could have a resurgence on Disney+, but sadly, its theatrical release has already written box office history, albeit for all the incorrect reasons.

Is it possible that the movie will eventually become a hidden success or end up as another overlooked Pixar production? Regardless, there’s no denying that the company renowned for revolutionizing animation is grappling with a significant dilemma in terms of introducing fresh concepts to the public, which could be likened to navigating through a cosmic crisis.

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2025-06-23 14:56