Pixar’s ‘Elio’ Turns First Contact Into an Emotionally Rich Feel Trip

June 17, 2025June 17, 2025 Michael Lee

Growing up with Pixar means growing up with stories that shape us. From Toy Story to Inside Out, the studio has built a legacy of emotionally resonant, visually stunning films that speak to audiences of all ages. Now, with Elio, Pixar introduces a brand-new original story that explores loneliness, identity, and belonging — through the eyes of a child who longs for connection and finds it in the most unlikely of places: space.

Animation, Movies

How Pixar Used VR and the College Project to Build the Dazzling World of ‘Elio’

June 9, 2025June 9, 2025 Michael Lee

In Elio, production design and visual effects aren’t just technical tools, they’re essential to storytelling. While character design conveys emotion, it’s the sets and lighting that shape the world around which helps create a believable and immersive atmosphere that deepens the audience’s emotional connection with the characters they see.

Animation, Interview, Movies

Jasmine Derry on Bringing ‘Elio’ to Life Through Innovation and Representation

June 4, 2025June 5, 2025 Michael Lee

For Pixar’s Elio, artist Jasmine Derry stepped into uncharted creative territory through the studio’s unconventional “College Project” approach — a departure from the traditional animation pipeline. As a Simulation Technical Director, Derry worked on bringing Elio’s cape to life, blending physics and emotion to elevate the character’s performance.

Animation, Movies

‘Elio’ Footage Navigates Loneliness with a Heartfelt Cosmic Adventure

May 28, 2025May 28, 2025 Michael Lee

Pixar has always been a story-first studio. They prioritize strong narratives, character development, and emotional impact over animation. As such, their films resonate on a deeply human level, no matter how fantastical the setting or plot. This approach fits perfectly with Elio, a film about an 11-year-old Latinx boy who struggles with the anxieties of loneliness and embarks on a journey of connection in an intergalactic world.

Animation, Movies, Trailers

‘Elio’ Trailer Reveals What Happens When Universe Finally Calls Back

May 27, 2025May 27, 2025 Michael Lee

Disney and Pixar have released the final trailer for Elio. We’ll have a lot of coverage about the film in the coming weeks leading up to its release. So, expect behind-the-scenes insights, interviews with the creative team, and deep dives into the story, characters, and visual design.

Animation, Interview

‘Elio’ Directors Domee Shi and Madeline Sharafian on Reimagining Sci-Fi

May 27, 2025May 28, 2025 Michael Lee

Pixar’s Elio is a bold, imaginative adventure about a young boy who’s never quite felt at home on Earth, until his wish to be abducted comes true. Suddenly named humanity’s ambassador to an alien civilization, Elio embarks on a visually stunning, emotionally rich journey through space that explores identity, family, and belonging.

Animation, Movies

‘Elio’ Trailer Teases Finding Friendship Among the Stars

March 19, 2025March 19, 2025 Michael Lee

Disney has released a new trailer for Pixar’s Elio, an intergalactic tale about a young outcast who dreams of finding a friend up in the stars. Directed by Madeline Sharafian (Burrow Sparkshort), Domee Shi (Bao short, Turning Red), and Adrian Molina (co-screenwriter/co-director of Coco), the upcoming film marks the studio’s return to space-age adventures, a first since Wall-E.

Animation, Movies, Trailers

Pixar’s Newest Kid Adventure Gets Intergalactic in ‘Elio’ Trailer

June 13, 2023June 14, 2023 Michael Lee

As Disney and Pixar prep for the release of Elemental, they are already starting to launch the marketing for their next film, Elio. And now, the studio has released a brand new trailer teasing an all-new and original story that follows a young boy who heads off into space and meets aliens. The only thing is that the aliens believe the kid to be “uuhh-Earth’s” ambassador. As you can imagine, this has the potential to be hilarious but also very problematic.

Animation, Conventions, Movies1 Comment

D23Expo: Pixar Teases Exciting Originals and Sequels

September 9, 2022September 10, 2022 Michael Lee

One can’t go into the D23 Expo without seeing any exclusive new footage of their upcoming slate. And that’s what we got during the Walt Disney Studio, Walt Disney Studios Animation, and Pixar. For this portion, we will be covering the highly anticipated theatrical films from Elemental and Elio, to exciting sequels like Inside Out 2. And of course, their new Disney+ Original, Win or Lose.