Every Pixar Box Office Bomb, Ranked

Pixar is widely considered one of the greatest animation studios ever, but it hasn’t always had success with every film. Starting in the 1970s, Pixar focused on computer-generated imagery (CGI) throughout the 1980s. They quickly became experts in this technology, which ultimately led to the creation of the first fully CGI animated movie, Toy Story.

After teaming up with Disney, Pixar started creating full-length animated movies consistently, with Toy Story being the first of many successes. Pixar’s focus on heartfelt and relatable stories aligned perfectly with Disney’s values, which led to Disney buying Pixar in 2006. This purchase allowed Pixar to create even more popular films, and they delivered hit after hit.

Pixar was incredibly successful for many years, but recently their streak of hit movies ended. After over two decades of consistently popular films like Toy Story, they had their first major box office failure. Their performance has been uneven since then. While the COVID-19 pandemic contributed to some of their financial setbacks, changes in how they release movies have also played a role.

Releasing movies on Disney+ so soon after they hit theaters has led many people to wait and stream them at home, which has hurt ticket sales. While box office numbers aren’t a complete picture of a film’s success, recent Pixar movies have had a mixed performance – some haven’t done well despite their quality, and others simply didn’t deserve to succeed financially.

Lightyear (2022)

While Lightyear (2022) wasn’t a big financial success for Pixar, it’s not a bad movie. It’s set in the world of the Buzz Lightyear toys and tells the story of Buzz going on a risky space adventure. As you’d expect from Pixar, it’s visually stunning and a treat to watch.

While the movie isn’t bad, it lacks the spark of Pixar’s best films. It follows a very typical science fiction plot, and its message feels weak and unoriginal. The film did generate some controversy online due to its LGBTQ+ representation, but overall it was a harmless movie.

Lightyear didn’t perform well in theaters and was a significant financial disappointment. With a budget of $200 million, it only earned $220 million worldwide (according to Box Office Mojo), resulting in losses of over $100 million. It stands as Pixar’s biggest box office flop, especially surprising given its connection to the popular Toy Story franchise.

The Good Dinosaur (2015)

Despite a strong history of hits, The Good Dinosaur was Pixar’s first major box office failure. Released in 2015, the film offers a fresh take on the prehistoric era, focusing on the unlikely friendship between a scared young dinosaur and a human caveboy. In a clever twist, the movie puts dinosaurs in the spotlight and depicts early humans as more primitive and animal-like.

Visually, The Good Dinosaur is stunning, continuing Pixar’s tradition of beautiful and innovative animation. However, the story itself isn’t very captivating, and it doesn’t quite capture the heartwarming magic that Pixar is known for. As a result, the film wasn’t a hit with audiences, despite actually earning a significant amount of money.

Despite earning $100 million more than it cost to make, the movie The Good Dinosaur still wasn’t profitable (according to Box Office Mojo). While its financial struggles were significant, it’s commendable for attempting something different. In fact, even though it wasn’t a success, The Good Dinosaur is arguably better than many of Pixar’s sequels and films designed purely to make money.

Elio (2025)

Pixar’s Elio didn’t have the benefit of being part of an established movie series, which put it at a disadvantage. The story follows a young, space-loving boy who is unexpectedly taken by aliens after they mistakenly believe he’s Earth’s leader. The movie went through significant revisions during its production, and ultimately, Elio struggled to gain traction.

It’s disappointing that Pixar cancelled the film. This creative family comedy, unfortunately, didn’t do well in theaters. Though it might not be Pixar’s most visually stunning movie, it tells a heartfelt story that both children and adults can enjoy.

Pixar’s Elio had a very disappointing start at the box office, earning about $150 million with a production budget of nearly $200 million (according to Box Office Mojo). While not considered one of Pixar’s strongest films—similar to The Good Dinosaur—it still surpasses the quality of some of their more successful movies. Elio isn’t alone in its failure, as other original films have also struggled to find an audience since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Turning Red (2022)

Pixar is sometimes hesitant to take big risks, even with its newer films. But Turning Red is different – it’s one of the studio’s most original projects yet. The story follows a young girl whose life changes when she starts transforming into a giant red panda whenever she feels strong emotions like nervousness or excitement.

Turning Red handles the sensitive topic of puberty with confidence and is primarily geared towards younger teenagers. But despite this, the movie has something for everyone to enjoy, regardless of age. Released in 2022, Turning Red unfortunately suffered due to the pandemic and didn’t have a traditional theatrical release in the United States.

The film only made $21 million in theaters (according to Box Office Mojo), but it gained popularity on Disney+. While not perfect, Turning Red shows Pixar’s dedication to creating original stories, and it’s truly unique among their films. It’s hard to say how well it would have done if it had been released in more theaters.

Luca (2021)

The years 2020 and 2021 were challenging for the movie industry, and Disney and Pixar experienced some significant failures during the COVID-19 pandemic. One example is the film Luca, which tells the story of a young sea monster discovering life on land in a charming Italian village. The movie is visually appealing and heartwarming, drawing inspiration from a variety of sources.

As a critic, I found Luca to be surprisingly thoughtful. It gently explores themes of belonging and acceptance, and what I really appreciated was how it did so without overcomplicating things. It clearly resonated with reviewers – the quality was definitely there. However, it’s a shame the film didn’t reach a wider audience, because its limited release unfortunately meant this Pixar gem never quite got the attention it deserved.

The pandemic led to Luca premiering on Disney+, where it was watched for billions of hours. However, it hasn’t received as much attention as other Pixar films from the same period. Though it’s not Pixar’s strongest work, it remains one of the best animated movies of the early 2020s. Its straightforward nature is actually what makes it so good – a quality Pixar hasn’t quite matched since.

Onward (2020)

Pixar was expecting 2020 to be a fantastic year before the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted everything. Their film Onward, released early in the year, tells the story of two elf brothers on a journey to find a magical object so they can have one last moment with their father. The movie uniquely combines classic fantasy elements with a modern look.

Despite being Pixar’s most overlooked film, Onward still made $140 million in theaters (according to Box Office Mojo) even during a slow period for moviegoing. It then became surprisingly popular on Disney+, where viewers were able to fully appreciate its well-developed characters and meaningful story. Onward stands out as having created a more immersive and detailed world than any recent Pixar movie.

It isn’t right to measure a movie like Onward by how much money it makes. The fact that it earned over $100 million shows it’s a good film. If things had been different, it could have been even more successful. The movie captures the same heartwarming spirit as Pixar’s classic films, while still being fresh and unique.

Soul (2020)

Pixar’s Soul is a truly exceptional film, but unfortunately, its release timing meant it didn’t get the attention it deserved. The story follows a middle school band teacher who longs to be a jazz musician and finds himself on a moving journey through the afterlife to discover his purpose. Many consider Soul to be a shining example of Pixar’s incredible storytelling ability.

Soul doesn’t talk down to younger audiences, instead offering a thoughtful and complex story that explores themes of self-discovery and finding meaning in life. The film trusts viewers to draw their own conclusions about what’s important, rather than telling them what to think. While the story is unique and personal, it still resonates with a wide range of people.

Although Soul finally premiered in theaters in 2024 and grossed $120 million (according to Box Office Mojo), it wasn’t financially successful due to its high production costs. Despite this, Soul remains a significant film for Pixar, and it’s unlikely they’ll create another movie exactly like it anytime soon.

2025-12-07 19:51