Overview

• Elio earned about $41.9 million domestically during its opening weekend, the lowest debut in Pixar’s history against a reported $150–200 million budget.
• Studio executives ordered rework after 2023 test screenings, leading to the loss of key queer-coded scenes and Latinx-focused elements before its June 20 premiere.
• Original co-director Adrian Molina left the project in 2024 and was replaced by Madeline Sharafian and Domee Shi, who oversaw the film’s tonal shift to a more conventionally masculine lead.
• Employees within Pixar, including members of the PixPRIDE group, have reported demoralization and an exodus of creative staff following the editorial cuts.
• The film’s struggles echo similar diversity reductions on recent Pixar and Disney features, prompting scrutiny of the studio’s balance between representation and commercial appeal.