Pixar's Elemental makes a strong comeback at the box office following a disappointing opening weekend. As only the second Pixar film to release in theaters since the Covid-19 pandemic, there was immense pressure for Elemental to succeed after Lightyear's underwhelming performance. Unfortunately, Elemental had one of the worst opening weekends in Pixar history.
However, things are looking up for Elemental in its second weekend. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the film is now vying for the top spot at the box office against Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. Both animated films are projected to earn between $17 million and $19 million this weekend. Interestingly, Elemental only experienced a 39 percent decline from last weekend, which is much better than anticipated. In contrast, The Flash had a disappointing drop of 70 percent following the opening of both films last weekend.
What Elemental’s Box Office Performance Means For Pixar
Elemental's unexpected resurgence at the box office has pleasantly surprised Pixar and offers valuable lessons for future releases. Pixar's films may no longer dominate the box office during their opening weekend as they once did, particularly if they are original stories not tied to a well-established franchise. Due to the absence of an established franchise, families were not immediately drawn to the theater during the film's debut. However, Elemental's comeback indicates that more families are discovering the movie through positive word of mouth.
This situation bears resemblance to Encanto, which also experienced a lackluster performance at the box office. However, once it debuted on Disney+, positive word of mouth quickly spread and the film became a hit. Although Encanto is not a Pixar film, the similar trajectory observed with Elemental suggests that achieving success for new Disney animated movies now requires more time than it did before the pandemic. It appears that the focus is shifting towards the long-term game rather than the film's immediate performance upon release.
In order to attract families to the theater during the opening weekend, Disney and Pixar should consider adopting a more innovative marketing strategy. Simply releasing a trailer is no longer sufficient to generate excitement. They need to discover a way to captivate both families and children, enticing them to watch their latest release, not solely because it is a Disney and Pixar production. Despite the film's engaging animation and touching storyline, employing more persuasive marketing tactics could have resulted in a more successful debut at the box office.
