Pixar’s new animated movie crosses a major box office milestone after a disappointing opening. The studio aims to releaseone original animated movieper year to focus on quality, except for sequel releases, which sometimes lead to a year having two films.
Recently, the studio brought beloved animated films such asInside Out 2,Elemental,Turning Red, andLightyearto theaters. Except forInside Out 2, which becamePixar’s highest-grossing film of all time,Elemental,Lightyear, andTurning Redall suffered different levels of challenges at the box office.
Despite initial underperformance,Elementalsaw rare box office growthand ended up being a sleeper hit for the studio. So far, Pixar’s upcoming slate includesHoppers, coming out in March 2026,Toy Story 5, in June 2026, andGatto, scheduled for 2027.
Elio Passes $100 Million Box Office Milestone
The Movie Is Approaching Its Fourth Weekend In Theaters
Released on June 20, Pixar’s new animated sci-fi movie,Elio, follows an imaginative boy as he accidentally becomes Earth’s ambassador to the rest of the universe. Despite being highly rated by critics and audiences alike,the movie had the worst opening box office in the studio’s history, having only earned $21 million domestically and $35 million globally.
According toThe Numbers,Eliohas made over $100 million globally after nearly three weeks in theaters. This figure comes from $57.6 million at the domestic box office and $42.6 million at the international box office. However, with a production and marketing budget of at least $150-200 million, the movie still has a long way to go before turning a profit.
What This Means For Elio
Can Elio Repeat Elemental’s Box Office Phenomena?
Elementalsimilarly had a disappointing opening weekend at the box office. BeforeEliotook over, the 2023 animated film held one of Pixar’s worst openings, but over two months, ticket sales improved and eventually saw the movie concluding its theatrical run with $154 million at the domestic box office and $496 million worldwide.
In contrast,it doesn’t appear thatEliowill be able to replicate that unique phenomenon.Elementalreached $100 million domestically in its fourth weekend, while the 2025 Pixar movie has reached that milestone only globally in that same timeframe. This is an unfortunate circumstance sinceEliois unlikely to recoup much of the budget as more new releases come to theaters.
While the box office momentum is slowing down forEliowith no sight of hitting profitable margins, there is still a chance for the movie to redeem itself. Streaming on Disney+ may allow the Pixar movie to find some success, and given the positive reception, that may be the best way for some redemption.
Elio
Cast
Elio follows the journey of a space enthusiast who embarks on a cosmic adventure, encountering eccentric alien lifeforms and facing an intergalactic crisis. During this odyssey, he attempts to forge new friendships and discovers his true identity in the universe. Released in 2025, the film explores themes of self-discovery and friendship.
