Pixar's Elio reportedly underwent massive behind-the-scenes changes after a test screening where no one wanted to pay to watch the movie

Elio and an alien in Elio — (Image credit: Disney Pixar)

Pixar’s newest movie Elio’s original cut was a lot different from what we finally saw on the big screen, as the studio reportedly decided to make some big changes to the alien family film following negative response from a test screening.

After being shown at an early test screening in 2023, the audience reportedly said that although they enjoyed Elio, none of them would pay to see it in theaters, according to The Hollywood Reporter. When Elio was later shown to Pixar leadership, the cut received further negative feedback, and animator Adrian Molina exited the project.

After Molina’s departure, new co-directors Madeline Sharafian and Domee Shi were brought on, and much of Elio was reworked. THR reports that the original version included scenes where the titular character explored his passion for environmentalism and fashion, including a scene showing Elio collecting trash on the beach and turning it into vibrant pieces of clothing.

However, the biggest change that was reportedly made was Elio’s sexuality. Although THR’s sources say that Molina did not intend on the film being a coming out story, 11-year-old Elio was initially portrayed as a "queer-coded character." An anonymous former Pixar artist who worked on Elio told THR that "It was pretty clear through the production of the first version of the film that [studio leaders] were constantly sanding down these moments in the film that alluded to Elio’s sexuality of being queer."

Elio in new Disney Pixar movie Elio — (Image credit: Disney/Pixar)

Despite the apparent changes, Elio still wasn't able to win over paying audiences. Even though the film received a positive critical response, earning it an impressive 83% score on Rotten Tomatoes, Elio still flopped at the box office. According to Box Office Mojo, Elio has so far grossed $72,056,358 worldwide, which is a meager sum compared to its reported budget of $150 million.

However, Elio only hit theaters on June 20, 2025, so the animation still has time to raise its box office sum. But, it doesn't look promising as Elio's opening weekend, which stirred under $21 million, marked the worst domestic opening ever for a Pixar release.

Featuring the voices of Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldaña, and Jameela Jamil, Elio follows "a space fanatic with an active imagination," who gets "beamed up to an interplanetary organization" where he is "mistakenly identified as Earth’s leader," reads the synopsis.

Elio is out in theaters now. For more, see where Elio ranks on our list of the best Pixar movies, and keep up with upcoming movies heading your way.

I'm the Junior Social Media Editor here at GamesRadar+, handling all of Total Film's social platforms. However, I also write, covering all things film and TV for the site's entertainment section. I joined GamesRadar+ in 2023 and have been here ever since. I previously worked in communications after graduating with an MA in journalism. In my spare time, you can find me binging horror movies or getting lost in a cosy little game on my Switch.

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