Generally, the elements of fire and water do not mix, with the latter extinguishing the other. But such a dichotomous relationship could prove to be interesting. And Pixar director Peter Sohn wants to showcase that in Elemental. Now, after getting a small sneak peek at the D23Expo, the animation studio has revealed the first look at the upcoming film featuring the voices of Leah Lewis as the voice of Ember Lumen, and Mamoudou Athie as the water-based Wade Ripple.

The film opens with a subway running through a tunnel. At first it looks and sounds like any old subway you’d see in a major city. But upon a closer look, you see that it is actually skiing on water. As the subway passes, the scene immediately switches to Ember, whose back is turned against the viewer. With a glittery hoodie on, she awaits to board her subway. And as it approaches, she puts her headphones on to the sounds of Bakar’s “Hell N Back,” and passes by other elemental-based beings like earth water, and air.

As she passes, we get a sense of the symbiotic relationship these beings have with each other. When a water-based being sneezes on a earth-based being, flowers come out of him. Clouds are able to float over the crowded subway. But when you add fire to the mix, you can see how destructive it can be. Of course, none of that actually happens in the trailer, but one can imagine what would happen if a fire got out of control.

Ember doesn’t seem to converse with anyone, showing just how isolating it can be to be a fire-based being. That is, until her headphones come off, and Wade picks them up. Needless to say, it’s the kind of meet-cute we’d like to see in these animated films.

Directed by Peter Sohn, produced by Denise Ream, and featuring the voices of Leah Lewis and Mamoudou Athie as Ember and Wade, respectively, Elemental releases on June 16, 2023.

Here’s the brief plot synopsis for Disney and Pixar’s Elemental:

Disney and Pixar’s Elemental, an all-new, original feature film set in Element City, where fire-, water-, land- and air-residents live together. The story introduces Ember, a tough, quick-witted and fiery young woman, whose friendship with a fun, sappy, go-with-the-flow guy named Wade challenges her beliefs about the world they live in.