Pixar's Elio Release Date, Cast, Trailer, Plot And More Details
Pixar is heading to a whole new stratosphere with "Elio." This starry-eyed film follows a young boy — the titular Elio — as he's yanked into outer space by a vast bureaucracy of well-connected aliens. These far-off folks, lacking any experience with humanity, assume he's the Earth's ambassador. Little Elio has no choice but to play along.
Like its hero, "Elio" has a lot riding on its shoulders: The last few years have not been the kindest to Pixar. 2022's "Lightyear," a spin-off of the "Toy Story" franchise, ended up being one of the year's biggest box office bombs. The studio's most recent feature, "Elemental," also fell flat, with the lowest-grossing opening weekend in Pixar history, barring the original "Toy Story." As a result, "Elio" has to meet some truly high expectations. Luckily, this charming film seems to have what it takes. Curious? Then read on. From its plot to its cast, we're taking a look at everything we know about Pixar's "Elio."
When will Elio be released?
Ready to watch Elio's adventures in outer space? Well ... you'll have to wait a while. Originally, the Pixar flick was scheduled for March 1, 2024. But due to the 2023 actors' strike, Disney decided to shake up its release schedule. In addition to moving their live-action "Snow White" adaptation all the way to 2025, they'll also be kicking "Elio" back a year. The animated sci-fi tale will now land in theaters on June 13, 2025.
What is the plot of Elio?
"Elio" tells a story of mistaken identity and self-discovery. Elio is an 11-year-old boy who is accidentally transported into outer space by the interplanetary organization known as the Communiverse. They assume he's the leader of Earth, and threaten a memory wipe when it seems this might not be the case. Thus, Elio decides to go along with it. As he goes about gaining new friends and enemies alike, he finds he's more capable than he might have guessed.
"Elio" promises to continue the Disney-Pixar tradition of excellent kid-based family stories. "I am getting serious 'Lilo and Stitch' vibes from the #Elio trailer," one Twitter user opined. This is a seriously good sign: "Lilo and Stitch" is a bonafide classic. Like that storied film (and many others, including "Moana," "Inside Out," and "Turning Red"), "Elio" promises to explore what it means to grow up from the perspective of the child in question and the adults in their life. The glimpse we get of Elio's mom in the first trailer is especially vivid. She clearly has a deep connection with her son, which could form a killer foundation for this flick.
Who is starring in Elio?
Elio will be played by child actor Yonas Kibreab. Kibreab is best known for his involvement in the "Star Wars" franchise; he's starred in three episodes of the Disney+ series "Obi-Wan Kenobi" and provided a voice in "Young Jedi Adventures." Kibreab is also slated to voice Damian Wayne in the upcoming holiday special "Merry Little Batman."
Emmy-winning actor America Ferrera will play Elio's mother, Olga Solis. While Ferrera has blown fans away on multiple projects, she gained particularly wide acclaim for her starring role as Gloria in the 2023 smash hit "Barbie." "Olga is super-confident, smart, and can hold her own in any situation," Ferrera said of the character during the film's D23 presentation (via Deadline). "She's a character who speaks to me in so many ways as a mother. And of course, with my advanced mathematical degree, I can finally put it to use. Don't Google it."
Jameela Jamil and Brad Garrett will play Ambassador Questa and Ambassador Grigon respectively. Jamil's voice acting resume is extensive; she's enjoyed roles on "DuckTales," "Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous," and "DC League of Super-Pets." Garrett is a Pixar alum, having provided voices in such hits as "A Bug's Life, "Finding Nemo," and "Ratatouille."
Who is directing Elio?
Helming "Elio" is writer and director Adrian Molina. Molina's history with Pixar goes back many years: He worked on films like"Toy Story 3," "Monsters University," and "The Good Dinosaur" as a story artist, designer, and writer.
His first directing job came in 2017 with "Coco." Molina co-directed this film alongside Lee Unkrich, while also co-writing the story and screenplay. "Coco" was a massive success, bringing in a total gross of more than $814 million and winning two Academy Awards for best animated feature and best original song. Since then, Molina has aided in the creation of both short films and features such as "Toy Story 4" and "Luca" as part of Pixar's senior creative team. Suffice it to say, "Elio" is in very good hands.
Who is writing and producing Elio?
Adrian Molina is currently the only credited writer for Pixar's "Elio." If "Elio" is being made like other Pixar features, however, several other people have probably contributed to the film's story.
Producing "Elio" is another longtime Pixar creator, Mary Alice Drumm. Before joining Pixar, Drumm had plenty of experience acting as a producer on animated features such as "Cinderella II: Dreams Come True" and "Curious George," as well as television shows like "Sid the Science Kid." After acting as producer on an episode of the "Cars" spin-off "Mater's Tall Tales," Drumm took on her first producing role on a Pixar feature with 2012's "Brave." Her following associate producing credits include "The Good Dinosaur" and "Coco," the latter of which saw her work with Adrian Molina. She has also been on the production team for some of Pixar's television and streaming projects, including "The Toy That Time Forgot," "Tales From Radiator Springs," and "Sparkshorts." "Elio" will be her first feature film as a full-on producer.
Acting as executive producer on "Elio" is Pixar Chief Creative Officer and Oscar winner Pete Docter. Docter contributed to the story and animation of "Toy Story" before embarking on his own directorial ventures with "Monsters Inc.," "Up," "Inside Out," and "Soul." In 2018, Docter took over the role of CCO following the removal of Pixar co-founder John Lasseter.
Is there a trailer for Elio?
A teaser trailer for "Elio" landed on June 13, 2023. While it doesn't reveal too much about the story, it gives fans a good idea of what to expect from the upcoming feature.
The trailer begins with Olga, Elio's mom, coming across a strange message on the computer screens of the research facility that employs her: "Bring us your leader." An incoming video call from Elio breaks her train of thought and gets entangled with the computer disturbance. Soon, Elio is abducted by a spaceship, which takes him to a colorful planet inhabited by a wide array of alien life, who believe he is Earth's ruler. Elio goes with it when he learns the memory wiping process will be painful. From here, fans get glimpses of Elio exploring the planet, befriending Ambassador Grigon, and learning about the vast universe he inhabits.
From its simple yet charming premise to its creative alien designs to Pixar's top-notch animation, "Elio" is shaping up to be a film with plenty to offer.