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Pixar’s latest film, “Elio,” crashed hard at the box office, pulling in just $21 million domestically over its opening weekend. That’s the worst debut in Pixar’s history, trailing behind competitors like “How To Train Your Dragon” and “28 Years Later.” Families didn’t show up, and critics are pointing fingers at several reasons. The movie’s unusual “bean mouth” character design turned off audiences, with many calling it lazy and unoriginal. People are sick of seeing the same cookie-cutter style in modern animation, and they voted with their wallets by skipping this one.
Pixar’s been struggling for years now, ever since they started dumping movies straight onto Disney+. Films like “Luca” and “Turning Red” never even got a real shot in theaters, and “Lightyear” flopped too. Only “Inside Out 2” did well recently. “Elio” had a massive budget—over $250 million spent—but couldn’t even come close to making that back. Overseas, it only scraped together $14 million. That’s a disaster by any measure, especially for a studio that once ruled animation.
Hollywood just doesn’t get it anymore. Moviegoers are tired of being lectured or fed bizarre artistic choices instead of solid storytelling. “Elio” is yet another example of out-of-touch executives pushing agendas instead of listening to what families actually want. Parents aren’t taking their kids to films that feel like homework or look downright ugly. They want fun, exciting stories—not weird bean mouths or heavy-handed messaging.
This failure should be a wake-up call for Disney. Activist investors like Nelson Peltz warned them about losing their edge in animation, and they ignored it. Now, they’re stuck with a historic bomb that proves Peltz was right. Disney’s creative slump is real, and it’s costing them millions. While “Elio” got decent reviews, that didn’t matter. Audiences saw the trailers and decided to stay home.
Conservatives have long argued that pushing ideology into kids’ entertainment backfires, and “Elio” is proof. When studios prioritize activism over artistry, families reject it. Pixar forgot how to make magic and instead delivered a film that felt like a lecture wrapped in bad design. That’s not what hardworking Americans pay for. They want quality, not preachy experiments.
The bean mouth backlash spread like wildfire online. Fans everywhere mocked the design, calling it a symbol of Pixar’s creative bankruptcy. That kind of organic rejection can’t be ignored. It shows real people are fed up with lazy trends in animation. Hollywood can spin it all they want, but the box office doesn’t lie. When audiences say no, it’s time to listen.
Pixar’s only hope is to return to its roots. Stop shoving politics into cartoons and focus on timeless stories with heart. “Elemental” flopped at first too but became a hit through word of mouth. “Elio” won’t get that chance. It’s already vanished from theaters, a cautionary tale for an industry that’s lost its way. Disney needs to clean house and refocus on excellence, not activism.
In the end, “Elio” bombed because it failed on every level. Ugly animation, weak marketing, and a studio that’s lost touch with its audience. Conservatives see this as a victory for common sense. Families are speaking loud and clear: make entertainment great again, or keep losing money. Disney should take notes before it’s too late.
