The Downfall of Pixar & Why You NEED to See Elio to Save It

Elio and the Downfall of Pixar Studios

Welcome to MsMojo, and today were discussing Elio and the perceived downfall of Pixar.

For a period, Pixar wasnt just synonymous with critical acclaim and financial success. It was the crown jewel of animation, with each cinematic release feeling like an event. Their latest film, Elio, is hitting theaters almost thirty years after the original Toy Story set the gold standard. Instead of an event, the build-up to Elio has been primarily met with indifference. Early reports project its opening weekend gross could fall between $27 million and $45 million. That doesnt sound too bad until you consider Elio cost an estimated $150 million.

Expect a swarm of articles prematurely labeling the film as a bomb, although a low opening weekend isnt always a death sentence. Elemental had one of Pixars worst openings ever, but Disney gave the film a fighting chance in theaters. It had remarkable legs, showing that theres still an audience thirsty for original stories. They just need time for positive word of mouth to spread. Elios reviews thus far have been about on par with Elementals. Not one of Pixars all-time greats, but still solid. More than solid, telling a meaningful story about grief, family, and learning to connect. Had Elio been released ten years ago, thered likely be more fanfare. So, why isnt the Pixar name alone enough to sell a movie anymore?

Most agree that the golden age of Pixar spanned from 1995 to 2010, yielding eleven straight hits. Ratatouille, WALL-E, Up, and Toy Story 3, in particular, provided one of the hottest winning streaks in cinematic history. Pixar won the Oscar for Best Animated Feature four years in a row, with the latter two being nominated for Best Picture. It seemed Pixar could do no wrong, although sometimes the flame burns brightest just before going out. Enter Cars 2, Pixars first movie to score no Oscar nominations and to get panned by critics. People went to see it, but the film still wasnt one of Pixars bigger box office hits. Of course, merchandising is where the real money from the movie is made!

The original Cars was once seen as the closest thing Pixar had to a black sheep. So why prioritize a sequel? It makes more sense when you consider that Cars broke retail records. The same year Cars 2 was released, the franchise exceeded $10 billion in merchandising sales. Whether or not there was any genuine passion behind the production, Cars 2 felt like the first Pixar movie that mainly existed to sell toys. Ironic since they had made three movies literally about toys. In his book, Creativity, Inc., Pixar co-founder Edwin Catmull discusses why companies like Disney must feed the Beast, the Beast being any large group that needs to be fed an uninterrupted diet of new material and resources in order to function.

Catmull goes on to write, Emphasis is placed on doing safer projects that mimic proven money-makers just to keep something-anything!-moving through the pipeline This kind of thinking yields predictable, unoriginal fare because it prevents the kind of organic ferment that fuels true inspiration. But it does feed the Beast. At one point, Catmul describes sequels as creative bankruptcy. Yet, he acknowledges that Pixar needs to produce sequels that will likely make money, allowing them to take risks. Throughout the 2010s, Pixar tried to balance sequels and original movies with mixed results. Of the eleven films Pixar made that decade, four were original. While Inside Out and Coco were huge hits, Brave was a mixed bag, while The Good Dinosaur was Pixars first financial dud.

Meanwhile, four of Pixars sequels that decade grossed over $1 billion, a milestone none of their original films have ever reached during their first runs. While Finding Dory, Incredibles 2, and Toy Story 4 were seen as worthy follow-ups, there was a fear that Pixar - a studio founded on original storytelling - had become another sequel factory. Well, Pixar entered the 2020s with four original films lined up. Unfortunately, they couldnt have come at a worse time. Onward was released right before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, being rushed out of theaters and onto Disney+. Soul, Luca, and Turning Red were all given the straight-to-streaming treatment, a move that Pixar CCO Pete Docter feels trained families to watch their movies at home.

This was reflected with Lightyear, the first Pixar film to receive a worldwide theatrical release in two years. What was supposed to be a grand return instead became one of Pixars most substantial money losers ever. Some insiders pinned the blame on a controversial same-sex kiss, although homophobia hadnt prevented the live-action Beauty and the Beast from making $1 billion. The more likely explanation is that people werent interested in a gritty Buzz Lightyear movie without Tim Allen. Lightyear also proved that recognizable IP isnt always the safety net that executives assume. Regardless, it was reported in 2024 that Pixar would focus less on autobiographical tales, although Elemental had been a sleeper hit while Luca and Turning Red didnt even have a fair chance.

Then again, Inside Out 2 subsequently became Pixars highest-grossing film to date. From a financial standpoint, we see why Pixar needs to greenlight safe sequels like Toy Story 5, Incredibles 3, and Coco 2, especially if Elio underperforms as many are anticipating. Although the title of this video might imply otherwise, we are rooting for Elio to succeed. Not just because its an original work on the heels of numerous sequels, reboots, and live-action remakes, but because the film is a charmer, even if its not one of Pixars absolute best. Of course, that might be another reason why Pixar is having a harder time selling their original movies. Theyve set the bar impossibly high, and the new stuff just cant compete with peak Pixar.

We have a hard time calling any of the movies that Pixar has released during the 2020s bad except maybe Lightyear, and even that wasnt awful. If DreamWorks, Illumination, or any other American animation studio gave us Onward, Luca, or Elio, theyd likely be considered among their stronger efforts. Yet, they dont even make the top ten when a studios filmography includes Toy Story, Finding Nemo, and Ratatouille. We may pout about sequels, but the truth is, well go see Toy Story 19, Finding Marlin, and Rata2ille because we have such a strong attachment to their predecessors. Pixars newer movies need to build from the ground up, which is even harder when audiences expect every film to make them cry and reevaluate their life.

Its not enough for a Pixar movie to be good. They have to be groundbreaking masterpieces! Since the past few movies havent reached that threshold (be it due to creative burnout, changing leadership, not enough risks, too many risks that didnt pay off, or impractical expectations from a fanbase that demands nothing less than perfection), audiences arent prioritizing Pixar like they once did. It doesnt help that moviegoers have never been more reluctant to buy a ticket unless they know exactly what theyre getting. For every Sinners, there are a dozen IP-driven movies that overshadow originality. Elio could be another casualty of this cinematic landscape, although that doesnt necessarily mean Pixar is the problem. The problem is where audiences are putting their money.

Elio is about a boy who travels to space in the hope of making a connection, but what hes searching for can be found back on Earth. Something similar can be said about audiences who exclusively watch films with a nostalgic connection, hoping to bring back the magic they felt when they were younger. Nostalgia can be comforting, sometimes even enlightening. If youre looking to recapture that spark you felt upon first seeing Monsters, Inc. or The Incredibles, though, chances are it wont be found in the familiar. Itll come someplace original and unexpected. Could Elio reignite that spark? You have to see the film to find out. Just give Elio a shot before writing it off. What seems like a downfall can truly fall with style.

What are your thoughts on the current state of Pixar? Are you planning on seeing Elio? Let us know in the comments.