2025’s big Pixar release has been in theaters for two weeks, and during that time it has only made $78 million. Since some of Pixar’s recent films, like Inside Out 2, have gone on to be some of the biggest movies in history, it is worth reflecting on what may have gone wrong for this latest animated effort.

Looking at every Pixar movie, there have been far more hits than there have been disappointments. The studio has made some of the most beloved animated films in history, with even original projects, like Ratatouille and Up, going on to earn significant sums in theaters.

Unfortunately, there is no simple formula for success at the box office. A lot of great movies in 2025 deserved better at the box office, with critically lauded hits like Thunderbolts* failing to break through. Still, there have been several successes this year, and looking at the details may help to understand the failure of this latest Pixar project.

Pixar’s Original Movies Have Been Struggling For A While

The Box Office Climate Has Changed

Pixar has been having a hard time at the box office, and much of this can be traced back to the studio’s strategy during the COVID-19 pandemic. While Onward opened low for Pixar, the film then reflected a strategy that would be a detriment to the studio by quickly appearing on streaming only a few weeks after its theatrical debut.

This was necessary, as theaters were closing due to the pandemic, but it signaled a sea change for Pixar and how they dealt with original projects. In the following years, Pixar trained audiences to expect films on Disney+ quickly by releasing great films like Soul, Turning Red, and Luca directly to the streaming service.

Ever since, audiences have felt less of a need to see Pixar’s originals in theaters. Elemental had an interesting comeback after a poor debut, but even it did not live up to the success of many of Pixar’s biggest sequels. It is hard to sell an original film in this climate, and that has affected their latest effort significantly.

Elio’s Reviews Were Solid, But Not Great Like You’d Expect From Pixar

The New Film Was Liked, Not Loved

Elio opened to only $43 million worldwide and has failed to light up the box office in subsequent weeks. There are many reasons why this has been the case, but the film’s reception is certainly a big part of this. Despite earning a strong 82% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, little of the praise directed towards the film has been effusive.

In general, Elio has been well-liked by critics and audiences, but there has been little about the movie that has made it seem worth leaving the house for. The entire Pixar library of films is available on Disney+, and the studio even released a streaming series in Win or Lose that makes a trip to the cinema less vital.

Due to this quality, Elio will surely do well once it is released on Disney+, but there is not enough incentive for audiences to see the film in theaters. Nothing about the film’s reception has created any urgency to see the movie, and the complex market for theatrical releases in 2025 has complicated this.

Elio Was A Very Quiet Release Amid Major Summer Blockbusters

2025 Has Several Other Enormous Films

There are many reasons why Elio had Pixar’s worst opening weekend, and these details have only grown more relevant as time has gone on. The film has faced stiff compeтιтion in the theatrical landscape. In a difficult economy with rising costs, most families are unable to visit the cinema regularly, which forces them to choose carefully what to see.

With films like Lilo & Sтιтch and How to Train Your Dragon in theaters before, and films like Jurᴀssic World Rebirth and Superman in the weeks following, there are too many other big releases for audiences to prioritize. Following delays, and what seemed to be a quiet promotional run, Elio was pᴀssed over, mostly unnoticed by audiences.

Could Elio Still Become A Box Office Success?

It Is Unlikely, Though Not Impossible

Elemental has become an important reference point after Elio‘s poor opening. That film opened to a weak $44.5 million, but went on to earn a total of $496 million. With this considered, some have hoped that, with audiences clearly liking Elio, it could follow the same trend, especially as students are off on summer holiday.

Unfortunately, this does not look likely. Elemental began its comeback on the second weekend, dropping an astonishing 38% and earning $18.4 million. Elio‘s second weekend was a decent 50% drop, but relative to its opening, this is hardly auspicious for the film’s future. At this pace, Elio will struggle to earn even $100 million.

What Elio’s Box Office Means For Pixar’s Future

Pixar Will Be Making More Sequels In The Coming Years

The box office for Elio will likely affect Pixar’s strategies in the future. The studio has already been pivoting to making more sequels, alternating between one Pixar sequel and one original, and this makes that more vital. This has led to some concern that even fewer Pixar originals will be made in the future.

Fortunately, this does not yet appear to be the case. Pixar knows that they need to launch new franchises with original films in order to be sustainable. Comments from Chief Creative Officer Pete Docter shared with Fast Company suggest that this strategy will not change soon:

It’s a rough time, and all we can do is try to make movies that I think are led by us. We have to believe in them… It takes as much work and effort to make something that doesn’t make money as it does for something that does.

We have to find out what people want before they know it… Because if we just gave them more of what they know, we’d be making Toy Story 27.

There are several other factors that will be important in ensuring success for future Pixar films. The movies themselves must seem more urgent to see in cinemas, and perhaps the theatrical window will need to be extended. Fortunately, Pixar seems dedicated to ensuring that their studio has a sustainable future with both franchises and original films.

Elio is a strong movie, and its failure at the box office is a testament to changing theatrical conditions. Its failure suggests that some strategic changes may need to occur with Pixar’s future original projects. It will be interesting to see how the studio approaches their next big original film with next year’s Hoppers.

Source: Fast Company