Pixar’s newest animated film, “Elio,” opened to a projected $22 million over its first three days, marking the lowest opening weekend in the studio’s 30-year box office history.
Directed by Domee Shi, Madeline Sharafian, and Adrian Molina, the film tells the story of Elio, a young boy abducted by aliens who joins forces with a friendly creature named Glordon to protect the intergalactic Communiverse from his villainous father, Lord Grigon.
A Star-Studded Voice Cast
The cast includes Yonas Kibreab as Elio, Remy Edgerly as Glordon, Brad Garrett as Lord Grigon, Zoe Saldaña as Aunt Olga, Shirley Henderson as the AI supercomputer OOOOO, and Jameela Jamil as ambassador Questa. Despite the talent involved, “Elio” came in third at the domestic box office, behind “28 Years Later” and the live-action remake of “How to Train Your Dragon.”
The Decline in Pixar’s Opening Numbers
“Elio” is the first Pixar film to open below the $29.1 million debut of 1995’s “Toy Story.” Until now, even Pixar’s weaker openings—like 2023’s “Elemental” at $29.6 million—still outperformed the studio’s inaugural release. Of Pixar’s 29 theatrical films, 10 now rank among the lowest debuts, and half of those earned more than double what “Elio” brought in.
A Chance at Long-Term Success
Despite the rocky start, “Elio” could still thrive in the long run. “Elemental” began similarly and eventually reached nearly $500 million worldwide. While “Elio” has a reported production budget of $150 million and may struggle to break even at the box office, strong performance on streaming and VOD could help recover costs and boost its final numbers.
Find out if “Elio” makes a comeback or flops with us on Que Onda Magazine.