Disney Pixar’s Elio: From Queer-Coded Child to Box Office Flop

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Disney-Pixar’s movie titled “Elio” was expected to be their next successful original production. However, it ended up having the lowest box office debut in Pixar’s history. Yet, while the financial performance is dismal, the story leading to “Elio‘s” collapse might be more troubling.

According to a recent report by The Hollywood Reporter, it’s now clear that the original concept for ‘Elio’, as many had speculated, was not primarily focused on storytelling but rather on promoting an agenda.

Initially led by Adrian Molina, one of the co-directors of “Coco“, the movie was rumored to have strong themes related to identity, including a main character who was only 11 and whose actions and bedroom items suggested a maturity beyond his years that hinted at sexuality. Reports claim that the character Elio was designed to depict what is now referred to in Hollywood as a “queer-coded” child – a term that parents might not have expected to encounter in an animated film intended for children.

As a passionate admirer, I can’t help but appreciate the ingenious touch of Molina, subtly weaving scenes such as Elio flaunting a vibrant pink tank top on the beach during his “trash-fashion show” or hinting at his romantic leanings through his room decorations. However, it seems this innovative vision was met with mixed feelings at Pixar. The story goes that the project started to falter following initial test screenings, especially one in Arizona where not a soul expressed interest in watching the film in cinemas. This lack of enthusiasm set off alarms within the company and triggered an extensive review process.

Following Molina’s exit, responsibility for the project shifted to Domee Shi (known for “Turning Red”) and Madeline Sharafian (known for “Burrow”). The narrative focus on identity themes became less pronounced, the character was reimagined with a more masculine persona, and America Ferrera, who initially played Elio’s mother, decided to step away from the project. Though she cited scheduling issues as her reason, insiders suggest that she was discontent with the creative direction after Molina’s departure and the lack of “Latinx representation” in leadership roles.

The end product? A film devoid of its initial controversial undertones, yet lacking in individual character. As a former Pixar artist expressed it: “By taking away this substantial, defining aspect, which encompasses identity, Elio essentially transforms into nothing at all.

Although the film received an 81% rating on Rotten Tomatoes from critics and an A+ CinemaScore from audiences under 25, its box office performance reveals the true situation. Earning only $20.8 million domestically, some sources claim that its actual production cost surpassed $200 million, while others estimate it to be over $300 million. This places Elio squarely as a costly misstep for both Pixar and its parent company Disney.

As a movie enthusiast, I’ve noticed that Pixar has been under scrutiny lately for incorporating themes and messages into their family entertainment that some parents find unexpected or unwanted in animated films. For instance, “Lightyear” faced criticism following the focus on a same-gender kiss in headlines, which may have impacted its performance. Similarly, “Turning Red” drew flak due to its sensitive subject matter tailored for younger audiences. Now, it seems that “Elio” is added to this list, not because of marketing blunders, but as a result of an overly focused development process on identity issues.

Pixar has certainly encountered the impact of this occurrence from all angles. The film “Inside Out 2”, free of contentious politics, proved to be a massive success, raking in an impressive $1.699 billion at the box office.

Additionally, it’s not only external audiences voicing criticism. Inside Pixar, there seems to be significant disagreement. Some sources blame Disney, but numerous voices within the company attribute the unrest to internal dysfunction at Pixar. Creative teams are reportedly pushing out content that is heavy on messaging before the public has a chance to respond, only for studio executives to try and tone it down during revisions.

The internal conflict within the studio has resulted in conflicting instructions. One director was apparently forbidden from incorporating divorce into their narrative, while another Pixar original, Hoppers, needed to soften its environmentalist messages during production. It appears that the studio is trying to capitalize on the success of Inside Out 2, but the writers and directors seem determined to avoid the errors made in Lightyear.

In an interesting turn of events, Adrian Molina has returned to Pixar, yet this time not for Elio. Instead, he’s taking on the role of co-director for “Coco 2”, a sequel that aligns well with Pixar’s current focus on established brands, safer ventures, and fewer innovative gambles.

It’s yet to be determined if Elio will have a resurgence similar to Elemental. However, with Toy Story 5 and other follow-ups of established franchises in the works, it seems Pixar is making an effort to improve their approach. For families yearning for creative narratives devoid of political undertones, this shift couldn’t come at a better time.

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2025-07-01 15:55