Elemental Triumph: Pixar's Box Office Record Shatters Disney's in Fourth Weekend
Despite a lackluster $29M opening, Pixar's Elemental defies expectations as it sets a remarkable Disney box office record in its fourth weekend Will this unexpected success solidify Elemental's position as a true blockbuster?
Elemental continues to experience impressive growth at the global box office. The Pixar film, which premiered in theaters on June 16, tells a modern love story in a city inhabited by personified versions of fire, water, earth, and air. Although it had a disappointing opening weekend, earning a mere $29.6 million, the movie has defied expectations by maintaining its presence on the box office charts and steadily increasing its revenue.
According to Box Office Mojo, Elemental's performance is on an upswing, generating an additional $30 million in international markets this weekend. This has brought its total worldwide earnings to $251.9 million, a figure that seemed unlikely in mid-June. Surpassing last year's Pixar failure Lightyear ($226.4 million worldwide), Elemental is now poised to surpass Disney's Encanto ($256.8 million worldwide) as the studio's highest-grossing animated film since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Will Elemental Become a Legitimate Success?
With the continual rise in box office grosses for Elemental, it is highly likely that the movie will accumulate an additional $100 million or so before its run in theaters is complete. However, even if it achieves this total, it may still not be profitable. Prior to factoring in publicity costs, the budget for Elemental was approximately $200 million, and it has been projected that the movie would need to make $400 million in order to generate a profit.
Similarly, a total of $350 million would not quite restore Pixar's box office to its pre-pandemic levels. At this level, Elemental would only surpass one pre-pandemic Pixar release, which was the underwhelming 2015 film, The Good Dinosaur ($333.7 million worldwide). All other Pixar titles have ranged from a minimum of $363 million (A Bug's Life) to an astounding $1.24 billion (Incredibles 2).
Not all hope is lost for Elemental. Although Encanto had a decent performance in cinemas, it didn't truly generate buzz until it was released on Disney+ along with the viral song "We Don't Talk About Bruno". The movie could potentially experience a rejuvenation on the streaming platform, further elevating its position within the Disney-Pixar collection.
