Pixar’s ‘Elemental’ Burning Up the Box Office Crossing $400 Million
When Pixar’s “Elemental” first graced the screen in June, it may have seemed more like a flicker than a roaring flame. The animated masterpiece, set in a captivating world of elements, follows the endearing love story of Ember, the fiery spirit, and Wade, the wishy-washy character. Despite its captivating narrative, the film opened to a modest $30 million at the domestic box office during its debut weekend, falling short of the typical fervor that accompanies a Pixar release—known for its trail of blockbuster triumphs.
However, unlike a mere fleeting spark, “Elemental” refused to dissipate into obscurity. Audiences continued to stream into theaters, captivated by the film’s enchanting tale.
Under the skilled direction of Peter Sohn, “Elemental” achieved a remarkable milestone by surpassing the $400 million mark at the global box office just last week. Of this impressive sum, a substantial $148 million was earned domestically. This feat is a testament to the movie’s resilience and captivating storytelling, especially considering the highly competitive theatrical landscape where a majority of moviegoers tend to flock to theaters during the opening weekend.
The success of “Elemental” extends beyond its initial modest beginnings, shining as an extraordinary achievement in the world of cinema. Its ability to gather momentum over time, drawing in an increasing number of viewers, showcases the enduring appeal and magic that Pixar consistently brings to the silver screen. As Ember and Wade’s story continues to warm the hearts of audiences worldwide, “Elemental” stands tall as a true testament to the power of storytelling and its ability to ignite a slow burn of cinematic success that blazes brightly against all odds.
In fact, it’s so rare that no Pixar movie has had a multiple that high since the one that started it all: 1995’s Toy Story.
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A myriad of forces gave a boost to the long-term success of Elemental.
It’s been a hit with moviegoers with a 93% audience score on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes and it carries an “A” CinemaScore, which undoubtedly led to strong word of mouth. It’s also been a solid choice for moviegoers of all ages during a summer in which family films have been hard to find.
“After a disappointing opening weekend, we’re really pleased that audiences have discovered what a great movie it is,” said Tony Chambers, Disney’s EVP of Theatrical Distribution.
The box office run for Elemental is also notable since it’s an original story. Many of the highest-grossing animated films in recent years have been sequels or based on established franchises. Elemental is the first original animated film from any studio to reach the $400 million mark since 2017.
International audiences have especially embraced the film.
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An international boost
“We knew we had a clear run throughout the domestic summer play period,” Chambers said. “And its global gross to date has been propelled by top performing international markets including South Korea, Mexico, France, and the UK.”
The film has made $276 million internationally. That includes a whopping $48 million in South Korea. The film is the most-viewed foreign film in Korea this year and the most-viewed Pixar film ever released there. It has reached 6 million admissions, meaning that one out of every eight people in Korea have seen it.
The film opened in Japan, its final international market, over the weekend and brought in $2.4 million, setting it up nicely for a run through the upcoming Obon holidays (Aug 11 to Aug 20).
While big opening weekends may get the headlines, Elemental shows that a true box office success story is about how a film finishes rather than where it begins.
“Recently it’s been more challenging for original animated and live-action IP to break through,” Chambers noted. “But you can’t create a franchise without taking a swing, and no other studio has taken more swings than Disney.”
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