Having released the highest-grossing animated movie of all time this summer in the shape of Inside Out 2, expectations have been set sky high for Pixar’s next movie. But, ever one step ahead of the game, the legendary animation studio have set their sights far higher with original new offering Elio, a cosmic sci-fi adventure hailing from Turning Red director Domee Shi, Coco co-writer and -director Adrian Molina, and SparkShorts alum Madeline Sharafian. Starring newcomer Yonas Kibreab in the title role alongside the likes of Zoe Saldaña, Remy Edgerly, Brad Garrett, Jameela Jamil, and Shirley Henderson, Elio looks like a truly out of this world adventure. Just check out the new teaser trailer below:
Evoking the expressive elasticity of Turning Red and Luca, the intergalactic wonder of Wall-E, and the kind of intricately detailed world building that made Elemental and Soul such visual feasts — all whilst swiftly establishing its own, genre-steeped style — this latest look at Elio may only be a minute or so long, but it’s full of promise. And the narrative hook, that our young hero — a self-confessed wannabe alien abductee with an Orion Nebula-shaped mole — gets exactly what he always wanted, is swept off to an interplanetary organisation’s HQ, and is there tasked with discovering who he truly is and his place in the universe, feels fresh. It also feels ripe to offer up, amid the exotic alien species and fish-out-of-water/boy-out-of-Earth shenanigans, a timely, poignant exploration of what it truly means to co-exist and belong with others from all walks of life.
Here’s the official synopsis: “A space fanatic with an active imagination and a huge alien obsession, Elio’s all in for an epic undertaking when he’s beamed up to the Communiverse, an interplanetary organization with representatives from galaxies far and wide. When Elio is mistakenly identified as Earth’s leader, he must form new bonds with eccentric alien lifeforms, navigate a crisis of intergalactic proportions, and somehow discover who and where he is truly meant to be.”
And here’s a new poster for the film:
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Elio is due to make first contact on 13 June, 2025, when it releases in cinemas — and not exclusively on Disney+. Long live the theatrical Pixar experience!