Just days before Disney and Pixar’s latest feature, “Elemental,” hits theaters the studio has released the first trailer for their next film, “Elio.”
As the official synopsis lays out, the film follows “Elio, an underdog with an active imagination who finds himself inadvertently beamed up to the Communiverse, an interplanetary organization with representatives from galaxies far and wide. Mistakenly identified as Earth’s ambassador to the rest of the universe, and completely unprepared for that kind of pressure, Elio must form new bonds with eccentric alien lifeforms, survive a series of formidable trials and somehow discover who he is truly meant to be.”
“Elio” is directed by Adrian Molian, who wrote and co-directed the 2017 film “Coco” and, much like that film, the Communiverse in this trailer is utterly beautiful. Make no mistake, Pixar always knows how to worldbuild and Elio’s excitement at seeing the different aliens here will look fantastic on a big screen.
The film’s voice cast includes Yonas Kibread and America Ferrera, as well as the newly announced Jameela Jamil and Brad Garrett.
Pixar has struggled to find their footing in a shifting animated landscape. The company recently laid off 75 employees at the beginning of June, including “Lightyear” director Angus MacLane and producer Gayln Susman. The fact that “Elio” also takes place in space might draw surface-level comparisons to “Lightyear,” though with Molina at the helm this appears to be a more family-focused feature as opposed to heavier action of “Lightyear.”
You can watch the full trailer for “Elio” above.
“Elio” hits theaters March 1, 2024.
