Inside ‘Elio’s’ “Catastrophic” Path: America Ferrera’s Exit, Director Change and Erasure of Queer Themes

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Employees who worked on Pixar’s production of the movie “Elio” two years ago were thrilled by early footage they saw. Notable scenes that stood out to them included one where the main character, Elio, picked up trash on the beach and fashioned it into clothing, particularly a pink tank top; this scene was humorously referred to as Elio’s “trash-ion show” by the film team.

However, if you watched “Elio” in theaters but didn’t recall seeing this scene, it wasn’t simply because you missed an important moment. According to insiders who spoke to The Hollywood Reporter, the original version of Elio was more subtly queer-coded, reflecting Adrian Molina’s identity as an openly gay director. However, as the film progressed through production, feedback from leadership led to a change in Elio’s characterization, making him appear more masculine and phasing out scenes that showcased his environmentalism and fashion interests, including a scene featuring pictures of a male crush in his bedroom. While remnants of his trash fashion aesthetic remain in the final film, such as Elio wearing a cape adorned with cutlery and soda can tabs, the reason for this unusual attire is not explicitly explained.

Elio’s rocky journey started long before its dismal performance at the box office during the June 20-22 period. In fact, the summer of 2023 turned out to be a crucial time for the animated film about a solitary boy who is sent into space by an interstellar group after being mistakenly identified as Earth’s leader. Red flags started waving for the troubled production when Molina, known for co-directing Pixar’s 2017 Academy Award-winning movie “Coco,” held a preliminary screening of the film in Arizona. Despite audience members enjoying the movie, none indicated they would watch it in a theater, as reported by someone familiar with the event. This information sent shivers down the spines of studio executives.

Around the same period, Molina presented his latest edit of the movie to Pixar’s higher-ups, including Pete Docter. The feedback given in this meeting is unclear according to various stories, but there are whispers within the studio that Molina felt upset by the discussion. What is certain is that Molina left the project shortly afterwards, and the majority of Elio underwent significant changes under new joint directors Madeline Sharafian and Domee Shi.

A full year later than planned, the movie premiered in cinemas on June 22nd, but it flopped, earning only $20.8 million domestically, marking the poorest opening weekend for a Pixar release at the box office to date.

Sarah Ligatich, a former assistant editor at Pixar who contributed during the production of Elio as part of the company’s internal LGBTQ group PixPRIDE, expresses profound disappointment and disapproval about the modifications that occurred. Although she admires Sharafian and Shi as directors, Ligatich highlights that several artists involved in the film chose to leave their roles following the presentation of the initial cut of the movie. She suggests that this departure of talent after the first cut was a clear sign of how discontented many people were because they felt their valuable work had been altered and damaged beyond recognition.

A previous Pixar artist, who worked on the movie but wished to remain unnamed, noted that the alterations made to the character Elio were evident: “During the production of the initial film version, it seemed as though [the studio leaders] were consistently softening scenes that hinted at Elio’s queer sexuality.

Following the last screening of Molina’s cut for Pixar executives in 2023, there was a pause in the film’s production as Molina stepped away from the project. Sources report that Sharafian, who wrote and directed the 2020 short “Burrow” and was a storyboard artist for “Turning Red” and “Elio,” was appointed as director in his place. Molina was offered to collaborate on “Elio” with Sharafian, but after receiving numerous notes and alterations to his initial concept, he chose to depart from the project. In the summer of 2024, Docter told The Wrap that Molina had moved on to a different “priority project.” However, more details emerged in March 2025 when Disney CEO Bob Iger announced the development of “Coco 2,” with Molina set to return as co-director. (Pixar was acquired by Disney in 2006.)

Suddenly, they take out a significant, defining element focusing on identity, and Elio seems to lose all substance as a result,” states the ex-Pixar artist. “The current version of Elio in cinemas is inferior to Adrian’s best rendition of the original.” A second former Pixar team member involved in the film’s production adds, “Elio was adorable, lively, and full of character; now, he feels much more ordinary to me.

Nonetheless, the movie that debuted in cinemas garnered positive feedback, boasting an 81% approval rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes. In her critique for THR, critic Angie Han labels the film as a “well-crafted children’s science fiction adventure.”

Despite being released in theaters, the movie received strong praise, scoring an 81% rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes. In her review for THR, critic Angie Han describes the film as a “delightful kids’ sci-fi adventure.

In some instances, Elio’s alterations were more conspicuous than others. When the film was initially unveiled at Disney’s D23 fan event in 2022, America Ferrera appeared on stage to explain her role as Olga, Elio’s mother. However, during the next D23 event in 2024, it was announced that the Emmy winner had departed the film due to scheduling issues, with Saldaña stepping into the role of Olga, now portraying Elio’s aunt. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Ferrera had already recorded dialogue for the movie, but her decision to exit was linked to Molina’s departure, and it’s also worth noting that the need to frequently re-record lines due to script changes might have contributed to the situation. The former Pixar artist stated, “America was disappointed because there was no longer Latinx representation in the leadership.” (Ferrera did not respond to a request for comment, nor did Molina.)

2024 ended on a triumphant note for Pixar, with “Inside Out 2” raking in over $1.6 billion at the worldwide box office, making it the year’s most successful film. Moreover, Pixar announced that Andrew Stanton, an Academy Award-winning director known for hits like “Finding Nemo” and “WALL-E”, would direct “Toy Story 5”, the next chapter in Pixar’s highest-grossing franchise. However, a concern arose regarding the future of “Elio”, due to its limited public recognition and significant delay in release.

According to media reports, the production budget for the movie was $150 million, however, sources from within Pixar claim the actual cost was significantly higher. An artist involved in the project didn’t have access to the exact amount but estimates it surpassed $200 million, considering that Molina’s version of the film was almost finished. This high production cost, combined with the movie’s disappointing box office performance, makes the situation even more disheartening. The artist, like other former Pixar employees, highlights that Sharafian and Shi did their best to deliver a top-quality film under challenging circumstances, despite the leadership.

The release of the movie titled “Elio” stirred up complex emotions among individuals associated with Pixar, as they began to ponder if the studio was going to emphasize diversity in their future projects. Director Docter ignited a discussion when he stated during an interview in 2024 that they should create films that are as relatable as possible, which some interpreted as advocating for less focus on underrepresented characters and narratives. This comment was made following the criticism directed at then-Disney CEO Bob Chapek’s handling of Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill in 2022. The box office performance of the Toy Story spinoff, Lightyear, in 2023 suffered after conservative commentators whipped up a frenzy over its same-sex kiss scene. Furthermore, the Pixar series Win or Lose, which debuted on Disney+ earlier this year, sparked controversy when it was discovered that their transgender storyline had been dropped.

It’s uncertain if the choices to minimize Elio‘s queer elements were made by the parent company or not. Insiders are skeptical, suggesting that pressure might be coming from within the organization itself. The artist remarks, “Many prefer to blame Disney, but the voice on the phone seems to be from inside the house.” The person also hints at instances such as next year’s animated film Hoppers being asked to tone down its environmental themes and shares a surprising note given to a movie still in development: “The director was told, ‘You can’t have divorce in this movie,’ which is hard to believe.” However, another source with knowledge of the project denies that such actions signify significant interference and views them as typical decisions during the early stages of production, not direct orders.

Despite the studio aspiring for Elio to replicate the theatrical success of Elemental, a film from 2023 that initially struggled at the box office but ultimately made a profit, there’s now a lot of anticipation for upcoming events. In March next year, we have the theatrical release of Hoppers, which will provide insights into the future of the studio’s film production line. Meanwhile, high hopes are building for the summer debut of Toy Story 5. A former Pixar employee who contributed to Elio acknowledges the studio’s initiative of organizing “48-hour brainstorming sessions,” where employees can explore any creative ideas without restrictions. However, it remains uncertain whether these sessions will result in projects or concepts that will eventually be produced.

For now, the Elio process’s pain remains fresh for those creative minds who witnessed the movie’s path transform into a lesson of caution. “I can’t help but wonder if Pete and the Disney executives considered the rewrite worthwhile,” expresses the artist. “Could they have saved this much money if Adrian had been allowed to tell his story himself?

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2025-07-01 00:57