Variety does not put it lightly. Disney and Pixar’s Elemental was a total box office flop and was beaten out by Ezra Miller’s The Flash, which also opened with disappointing numbers. Elemental made only $29.6 million on its three-day opening weekend, securing its place as a “box office lightweight.” For comparison, Disney’s live-action remake of The Little Mermaid made over $160 million worldwide on its opening weekend.
While movie-goers actually rated the theatrical release of Elemental as a good experience, the sour box office numbers tell a different story. Variety also notes that this new animated movie cost about $200 million to make and another $100 million to market, so unless there’s a huge audience shift over Elemental‘s time in theaters, the overall loss will most likely be devastating. It performed even worse than Pixar’s other low hitters Onward (2020) and The Good Dinosaur (2015).
Elemental and The Good Dinosaur also share a common director, Peter Sohn. In his 23-year-long Pixar career, Sohn says that no story has ever felt as personal to him as Elemental. He relates the story of Element City to his own life growing up in New York with Korean immigrant parents.
Sohn says,
When we saw animated films, I don’t remember translating anything for [my mom.] The medium itself was so powerful and transcendent of language that there were moments that brought her to tears. It hit me, “Wow animation can do that.” Elemental is a love letter to my parents- thanking them for building such a supportive foundation for my brother and I. Unfortunately, I lost both of them during the production of this film, and I miss them every day.
While Elemental certainly has the heart of any of its Pixar predecessors, it just didn’t generate the same turnout. Could this be a result of the pandemic on the movie-going culture? Since the pandemic and Disney’s move to release some content directly to consumers via its streaming platform Disney+, it has been difficult to generate the same animated profit.
Peter Sohn’s story about family, confidence, and choice stars the voice talents of Leah Lewis as fire element Ember and Mamoudou Athie as water dude Wade and is in theaters now.
Only time will tell if Elemental can get things sizzling at the box office, but right now, it seems to have already fizzled out.
Watch the new trailer for Disney and Pixar’s #Elemental and see the movie in 3D, only in theaters June 16! Check out a brand-new trailer for Disney and Pixar’s “Elemental,” an all-new original feature film that transports moviegoers to an extraordinary place called Element City, where a host of elements live and work. The trailer showcases each element—air, earth, water and fire—and what sets them apart according to Ember, a quick-witted and fiery woman who’s always stayed close to home in Firetown.
In “Elemental,” which opens in theaters on June 16, she finally ventures out of her comfort zone to explore this spectacular world born from the imaginations of Pixar’s filmmakers and specifically crafted for the big-screen experience. Element City is inspired by big cities around the globe and embraces theorized contributions from each elemental community—from giant pine-tree-like buildings and waterfall skyscrapers to a tornado-shaped arena called Cyclone Stadium.
Joining the previously announced voice cast including Leah Lewis and Mamoudou Athie as Ember and Wade, respectively, are Ronnie del Carmen as Ember’s soon-to-be retired dad, Bernie; Shila Ommi as Ember’s love-seeking mom, Cinder; Wendi McLendon-Covey as Wade’s stormy and Air-Ball-loving boss, Gale; Catherine O’Hara as Wade’s welcoming mom, Brook; Mason Wertheimer as Ember’s admiring earth neighbor, Clod; and Joe Pera as an overgrown city bureaucrat, Fern.
Directed by Peter Sohn, produced by Denise Ream, p.g.a., and executive produced by Pete Docter, “Elemental” features a screenplay by John Hoberg & Kat Likkel and Brenda Hsueh with story by Sohn, Hoberg & Likkel and Hsueh. The film’s original score was composed and conducted by Thomas Newman.
It seems so hard to believe, but 2022 is now in the rearview mirror and the excitement and potential of 2023 are laid before our feet. I don’t know about you, but my 2023 definitely involves a lot of Disney! Trips to Walt Disney World Resort, Disneyland Resort, or any other Disney theme park are always memorable, but they are expensive. However, there’s another way to get your Disney fix that’s much cheaper. That’s right, we are talking about Disney movies!
2023 is going to be a big year for Disney films. Let’s take a look at some of the most anticipated Disney movies of the year!
The Little Mermaid
Release Date: May 26
Disney’s new live-action remake of one of its most classic tales may be THE most anticipated Disney movie of the year. The Little Mermaid live-action film will stick heavily to the original animated movie, but there will be unique additions. In the new movie, Prince Eric will have more character development, and his mother will be introduced. Disney Legend Alan Menken and Hamilton creator Lin Manuel Miranda will also write new music.
The Little Mermaid will star Halle Bailey as Ariel, Jonah Hauer-King as Prince Eric, Melissa McCarthy as Ursula, Javier Bardem as King Triton, Awkwafina as Scuttle, Jacob Tremblay as Flounder, and Daveed Diggs as Sebastian.
Peter Pan & Wendy
Release Date: March 10 (Disney+)
What makes this Disney movie great is that you can watch the premiere from the comfort of your own couch!
It’s been a while since Disney has given us a fresh, new look at the boy who never wanted to grow up. But, come this March, we will no longer be able to say that. At this time, we don’t know much about the story that Disney will tell with Peter Pan & Wendy. However, it will most likely be close to the original story that most of us know and love. Select Guests who attended Disney’s D23 Expo this past September were given an exclusive trailer, which featured the Lost Boys, a look at Peter Pan, with a closeout on the villainous Captain Hook.
Peter Pan & Wendy will star Alexander Molony as Peter Pan, Ever Anderson as Wendy, Yara Shahidi as Tinker Bell, Jim Gaffigan as Smee, and Jude Law as Captain Hook.
The Haunted Mansion
Release Date: August 11
Okay, I’ll admit it. I am most excited to see this movie, not only because of the phenomenal casting, but also to see if Disney can come back from the 2003 disaster version that starred Eddie Murphy. This new live-action remake will take place in New Orleans, where the spirits definitely love to come out to socialize. The Haunted Mansion will tell the story of a single mom, Gabbie, who moves into the old Southern mansion with her son. As you may have guessed, the mansion is haunted and Gabbie hires a priest, a historian, a tour guide, and a psychic to help her expel the spirits.
The Haunted Mansion will star Rosario Dawson as Gabbie, Chase Dillon as Gabbie’s son, Owen Wilson as Kent the priest, Danny DeVito as the historian, Tiffany Haddish as Harriet, and LaKeith Stanfield as Ben Matthias. There will also be some classic attraction characters thrown into the mix — Jamie Lee Curtis will play Madame Leota, and Jared Leto will play the Hatbox Ghost.
Elemental
Release Date: June 16
Much like Inside Out, Elemental will take viewers on a journey they have not been on before. This movie will tell the story of a land where the elements — Earth, Air, Fire, and Water — live together. As with many places, those who are alike tend to stick together, and one element group doesn’t really interact with the other elements. However, fiery Ember and go-with-the-flow Wade will soon realize that they have more in common than they ever would have imagined.
At this time, we don’t have much to share on casting news. All Disney has shared is that Wade will be voiced by Mamoudou Athie as Wade and Leah Lewis as Ember.
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny
Release Date: June 30
This will most likely be the last time we see legendary actor Harrison Ford don his iconic fedora and take on the role of famed archaeologist Dr. Henry “Indiana” Jones. Dial of Destiny will see Indy and his goddaughter, Helena, go up against Nazis once again, but this time during the height of the space race. However, this time, the U.S. government has hired former Nazis to help them beat the Soviet Union into space, as well as be the first country to land on the moon.
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny will star Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones, Phoebe Waller-Bridge as Helena, Mads Mikkelsen as Jürgen Voller, Antonio Banderas as Renaldo, Toby Jones as Basil, and Johnathan Rhys-Davies as Sallah. Shia LaBoeuf will not return as Mutt Williams, but audiences will learn what happened to Indy’s son.
Wish
Release Date: November 22
This movie is the most recent announcement from Walt Disney Animation. Disney has not given us too many details on what story Wish will tell, but director Chris Buck has said that the film will be “Blending this beautiful, timeless watercolor style with 3D animation, ‘Wish’ has a look and feel all its own, unlike anything Disney Animation has created.” What we do know is that viewers will learn how the iconic wishing star came into existence.
As with Disney movies of the past, Wish will have a selfless hero, a ruthless villain, and a talking goat. Okay, so maybe it won’t be just like the Disney movies we have seen before. Not much casting information has been released, but we do know that Alan Tudyk will voice Valentino and Ariana DeBose will voice Asha.
Of course, if you are a Marvel fan, there will also be several movies released for you to love, including Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 3, and The Marvels.
