An 11-year-old with an obsession for extraterrestrials finds himself in the middle of an intergalactic misunderstanding in Elio, Pixar’s upcoming animated adventure. Instead of getting abducted for scientific study or exploration, Elio Solis is mistaken for Earth’s official ambassador and thrown into the high-stakes world of interstellar diplomacy. A newly released full-length trailer offers a deeper look into the film’s characters, tone, and cosmic chaos.
Voiced by Yonas Kibreab, Elio spends his time fantasizing about life beyond the stars, much to the frustration of his Aunt Olga, played by Zoe Saldaña. When a desperate plea to aliens unexpectedly succeeds, Elio is whisked away to the Communiverse, an organisation of planetary representatives. Unfortunately, a case of mistaken identity lands him in the role of humanity’s leader, forcing him to navigate bizarre alien customs with only his wits and an unexpected new friend, Glordon, voiced by Remy Edgerly.
A significant shift in Elio’s production delayed its release from March 2024 to June 2025. Originally helmed by Adrian Molina, the film underwent a creative overhaul that saw Molina joined by Turning Red director Domee Shi and Madeline Sharafian. One of the most noticeable changes included replacing America Ferrera, who had initially voiced Elio’s mother, with Zoe Saldaña as Aunt Olga. The restructuring also led to adjustments in key scenes, such as Elio’s reaction to his abduction, which was initially depicted as terrifying but has since been reworked into something more whimsical and wonder-filled.
The film’s tone draws comparisons to Turning Red, another coming-of-age Pixar story with a youthful protagonist navigating an extraordinary circumstance. While Turning Red was released primarily on Disney+ due to the pandemic, Pixar is banking on Elio to make a strong box-office impression. Recent history has been unpredictable for the studio, with successes like Elemental proving that original stories still have a place in theatres, while Lightyear struggled to find an audience. Whether or not the gamble pays off remains to be seen, but with its unique premise and ambitious storytelling, Elio has the potential to be a standout entry in Pixar’s lineup.
Pixar’s Elio opens in cinemas on 20 June.
Natalie is a big fan of anything related to movies, TV shows, and anime — you name it. When she’s not reading or being a dedicated cinephile, she’s probably playing gacha and tabletop games, or daydreaming of Caleb from Love and Deepspace.
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