Elemental Records Second Worst Opening Weekend in Pixar History
After an almost three-year hiatus from original theatrical releases, Pixar Animation Studios has returned to cinemas nationwide. In the wake of the pandemic, the acclaimed studio had three consecutive movies released exclusively on Disney+. Last year’s “Lightyear,” a Toy Story spinoff, marked Pixar’s first theatrical presence since 2020.
However, this weekend’s “Elemental” marks Pixar’s first non-franchise-based theatrical release since “Onward.” Regrettably, the film’s performance has fallen below expectations, delivering what is arguably the worst opening weekend in Pixar’s history.
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Initial projections for “Elemental” indicated a modest debut of around $35 million. Disappointingly, the film fell short of even that mark, earning just $29.5 million over the past three days. Technically, this makes it the second-lowest opening weekend for Pixar, with the studio’s debut film “Toy Story” grossing $29.1 million in its first weekend. However, when accounting for inflation, the opening weekend of “Toy Story” holds more significance. It also had a limited release in significantly fewer theaters and revolutionized the animation industry as a whole.
Director Peter Sohn’s previous film, “The Good Dinosaur,” earned slightly over $39 million in its opening weekend, which was already considered low at the time. Needless to say, this debut is a cause for concern within the Pixar community.
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However, it would be unfair to place blame solely on “Elemental,” as the film has garnered mostly positive reviews. With a 76% “Fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a robust audience score of 92%, it is evident that most viewers who have seen the movie enjoyed it. The film’s critical reception does not appear to be the issue at hand.
Have you seen Pixar’s Elemental this weekend?
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