Elio: From Box Office Disappointment to Potential Resurgence

Pixar's latest original animated feature, Elio, failed to reach the heights of its box office expectations during its opening weekend. The film barely cleared the $20 million mark, landing at $21 million, behind the $30 million of Danny Boyle's 28 Days Later and the $37 million of How to Train Your Dragon. Despite the delay in its release from its original summer 2023 date to 2025, the film did not generate additional anticipation.

Elio follows a space-obsessed orphan (voiced by Yonas Kibreab) on an improbable journey to the stars. The film's development was not without challenges, as it was originally directed by Adrian Molina but later took over by Domee Shi and Madeline Sharafian. The change in directors led to some behind-the-scenes changes, as Pixar generally avoids having two directors on one project. Despite largely positive reviews, some critics noted that they could see the seams in the production, with one critic describing it as a "mood board" that played like a film with three directors.

Elio faced stiff competition from other family-friendly films, including Disney's Lilo & Stitch and How to Train Your Dragon. However, despite its low opening weekend numbers, Elio's exemplary audience scores suggest that those who did see the film liked it. As other family-friendly films leave theaters and audiences look for new indoor weekend activities, Elio could see a resurgence in popularity.

The story of Elio is similar to that of Pixar's Elemental, which faced similar challenges upon release but eventually became a hit due to its strong word-of-mouth and repeat business. If Disney keeps Elio in a healthy number of theaters through September, history could very well repeat itself for Elio.