Pixar’s latest theatrical release is garnering a lot of attention at the moment, but not in ways that will benefit its performance at the global box office.
Made on an estimated budget of $150 million (£109 million), Elio has only managed to scrape just over $70 million worldwide so far since its release on June 20th.
Now, in a conversation with The Hollywood Reporter, former Pixar creatives reveal what went down behind the scenes while working on the movie.
Elio was originally ‘queer-coded’
According to the studio insiders, Elio was originally set to be a “queer-coded” character who, in their words, had a “passion for environmentalism and fashion.”
However, this and more were eventually scrapped from the final cut, after Pixar bosses reportedly forced the creatives to remove them.
One alleged cut scene showcased “pictures suggesting a male crush” hanging up in Elio’s bedroom.
In terms of his passion for fashion, another cut sequence had Elio collecting trash on the beach before turning it into clothing, including a “pink tank top” and performing a fashion show to a crab.
Despite the initial plans for Elio’s queer elements, creatives say the film was never set to be “a coming out story, as the character is 11” years old.
Pixar bosses later told the film’s team to make him more masculine.
Test screenings had bosses concerned
Additional information from the insiders revealed that not one audience member raised their hand when asked if they would pay to see Elio in theatres.
This happened at a test screening, before being released in theatres.
“A lot of people like to blame Disney, but the call is coming from inside the house. A lot of it is obeying-in-advance behaviour, coming from the higher execs at Pixar,” one told THR.
Another former Pixar employee claimed “[studio leaders] were constantly sanding down these moments in the film that alluded to Elio’s sexuality of being queer.”
Reactions
Elio had already been making some waves online, regarding its failure at the box office.
Now, moviegoers are sharing their reactions to the queer elements of the film being cut.
“For what tho, just because? Or because it serves the purpose of the story,” one said in response to a post on the official CoveredGeekly Instagram.
“Remember when kids movies were kids movies?” another added.
“Thank goodness they changed it,” a third wrote.
“Tired of forced inclusion…. is getting so boring now,” a fourth expressed.
“*You know what would make this movie even better? If he was gay af*” one wrote, sarcastically.
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