Pixar’s newest movie Elio isn’t doing well in theaters, and it might end up being one of the studio’s biggest flops. Even though it recently made over $100 million worldwide, this is a very small amount compared to its reported $200 million budget.
In the U.S., Elio has earned $63 million so far. That puts it just ahead of last year’s surprise hit The King of Kings, a Korean animated movie about Jesus that ended with $60 million. But the big difference is in cost: The King of Kings only cost about $25 million to make, while Elio cost eight times more.
Elio has received mostly positive reviews. It has an 82% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and audiences gave it a 90% score. The film shows that Pixar can still tell powerful, original stories. But even with good feedback, people haven’t been going to theaters to see it.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Elio faced many challenges during production. Some early creative ideas, especially around LGBTQ+ themes, were toned down. Director Adrian Molina was replaced, and Madeline Sharafian and Domee Shi were brought in to rework the movie. These changes were likely made to help the film do better at the box office, but they didn’t work.
Because of Elio’s poor performance, Pixar appears to be shifting its focus back to sequels and familiar franchises. Upcoming projects include Toy Story 5, Coco 2, Incredibles 3, and new movies like Hoppers and Gatto.
Elio is still playing in theaters, but its future looks uncertain. Stay tuned for more updates as Pixar decides what direction to take next.