The future of Pixar has been clear for some time, although the recent box office failure ofEliohas certainly not helped. The new film has been an enormousbox office disappointment for Pixar, butthis performance only solidifies a trend that has plagued the studio in recent years.
Pixar used to be one of the most dependable brands in Hollywood. Thebest Pixar movieshave examined rich characters of all kinds, from rats and bugs to emotions themselves. Whilethe studio’s quality has become more mixed with recent efforts likeLightyear,they still have seemed to remain important to moviegoers.
With that said, not every Pixar movie is now able to connect.What went wrong withEliois a complex and multifaceted situation and, while there are certainly lessons to be learned from the film’s box office failure,the bulk of Pixar’s future direction is not nearly as influenced byElio’s performance as one might think.
Sequels & Franchises Are A Big Part Of Pixar’s Future, Even Before Elio
The Studio Is Moving Forward With Many Sequels After The Success Of Inside Out 2
Pixar has been pivoting to a model that would see more sequels for some time.Elio’s performance only further reiterated the necessity of this move.The studio currently has a series of sequels in the works for the future, includingToy Story 5andIncredibles 3, and there will likely be even more of these announced in the near future.
The global box office has shifted to prioritizing sequels over originals in general.
Every hit Pixar movie from the past could conceivably be used for franchise opportunities. While aRatatouille 2did not happenin the past, there are rumors of Pixar considering one now.Sequels toWALL-Eand evenA Bug’s Lifecould be good opportunities for Pixarmoving forward, which has built a strong library of high-quality intellectual properties.
The global box office has shifted to prioritizing sequels over originals in general. Every American film in2024’s highest-grossing filmswas a sequel, except forWicked, which was an adaptation of a hit Broadway musical.Audiences are drawn to seeing things that they are familiar with,which has impacted box office opportunities for original films.
This trend is bigger than Pixar, and there are many reasons for it.The theatrical to streaming window has shortened, theatrical costs have grown higher, and income disparity has become an increasing problem.In order for audiences to go to the cinema, the movie must feel like a genuine event. This is much harder to do with an original film.
With great creativity,these Pixar sequels still have the opportunity to tell original stories.TheToy Storyfilms have tackled unique stories and themes from one another, as have theIncrediblesmovies. While it is disappointing to see original films fare so poorly in cinemas lately, there is still an opportunity for Pixar to continue providing quality stories.
Pixar Has To Rely On Sequels More At This Point
Originals Are Important, But Sequels Are A Greater Draw
Many have spoken aboutPixar’s pivot to releasing films directly on Disney+ during the Covid-19 pandemic, and how this has hurt the brand’s reputation. By doing this with great films likeLuca,Soul, andTurning Red, Pixar seemed to set a precedent and an expectation. With big-screen TVs in many homes, the theatrical viewing experience arguably seems less essential.
The studio has been trying to combat this by making movies that emphasize great visuals.Pete Docter previously spoke about Disney+and its impact on Pixar, speaking about howthe studio now must listen to audiences and figure out how to best entice them to come to cinemas.In an interview withVariety, he explained this further:
In the long run, there’s been a bit of a mixed blessing because we’ve trained audiences that these films will be available for you on Disney+. And it’s more expensive for a family of four to go to a theater when they know they can wait, and it’ll come out on the platform.
Looking at the box office performance helps to show why Pixar has chosen to move forward this way. Granted, the COVID-19 pandemic and the studio’s move to release movies directly to streaming did not help,but audiences were already becoming less enamored with Pixar’s original offerings.
$103 million
$1.69 billion
$474 million
Lightyear
$218 million
Onward and Lightyearwere well-liked, but not loved by general audiences, and that was reflected in their box office grosses.EvenElemental, which was a moderate hit at the box office after a disappointing start, performed lower than Pixar’s hopes and expectations.
Unfortunately, Pixar has become a less consistent brand at the box office. With the quality of a Pixar film being less dependable,audiences have chosen to invest their money in sequels while leaving the originals to watch at home.This allowedInside Out 2to become the biggest animated movieof all time untilNe Zha 2was released in 2025.
Pixar has to depend on its brands, although they are also well aware of the necessity of building new ones.Movies likeHoppersandGattoare excitingnew projects, but are unlikely to hit the box office highs ofToy Story 5andIncredibles 3. Unfortunately,Eliomay be the last movie of its kind from Pixar for some time.
