Wendi McLendon-Covey has responded to reports about the box office results of the movie Elemental. She played the character Gale Cumulus in the Pixar film, where she portrayed an air element working in Element City alongside the water element Wade Ripple (played by Mamoudou Athie). Element City is a unique place where the elements air, earth, fire, and water are depicted as human-like beings. Despite a weak opening weekend gross of $29.6 million for the $200 million movie, which led to some labeling it a flop, Elemental went on to earn $496.4 million worldwide, making it the tenth highest-grossing movie of 2023.
In an exclusive interview with Screen Rant, McLendon-Covey shared her thoughts on the reports surrounding Elemental's box office performance. Expressing frustration, she mentioned being "really sick and tired of what the industry does" and highlighted the unpredictability of the business landscape. She questioned whether it would be beneficial to simply bet on things succeeding, reflecting a desire for more certainty in the industry. Her full quote can be found below:
Elemental's Box Office Comeback Wasn't Unusual for 2023
I found it really satisfying because I'm tired of the industry's quick judgment on a project's success based on its opening weekend. Instead of declaring it a flop right away, it's important to give it time to unfold. I was especially moved by the father-daughter bow in the last scene of the film. It annoyed me to see headlines labeling it as a failure for Pixar, only to later realize it was actually performing well. Can we please move away from these negative and sensationalistic headlines? The industry is in constant flux, so why not have faith in projects succeeding?
The box office has become more unpredictable since theaters reopened after the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2023, several sleeper hits, like Pixar's Elemental, followed a similar growth pattern despite weak opening weekends. This trend was especially noticeable during the holiday season when Wonka was ruling the charts and new releases were vying for the top spot on their opening weekends. Let's take a look at how Elemental's box office growth compares to other slow-burn hits from 2023:
| Title | Budget | Opening Weekend | Worldwide Box Office | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | Elemental | $200 million | ||
| 1 | Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom | ~$205 million | ||
| 2 | Migration | $72 million | ||
| 3 | Anyone But You | $25 million |
Some 2023 movie releases that had disappointing opening weekends ended up being considered flops. For example, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny did not meet expectations during its opening weekend, despite debuting with $60.4 million. It is estimated that Disney lost $100 million on this film. However, these unexpected hits show that predicting a movie's success at the box office can be challenging in today's film industry.
It is uncertain whether Pixar will decide to move forward with Elemental 2 after looking at its box office performance. Typically, a movie needs to earn at least double its budget to make a profit. Therefore, Elemental likely needed to make $400 million or more to break even. While it was a successful film, it may not have reached the same level of success as other top movies of the year, like Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer, which only cost $100 million to make but earned $960.6 million worldwide.
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Editor's P/S:
The box office performance of "Elemental" highlights the unpredictable nature of the film industry. Despite a weak opening weekend, the film went on to become a commercial success. Wendi McLendon-Covey's frustration with the industry's quick judgment is understandable, as it can be difficult to predict a film's success based solely on its opening weekend. The article also shows that in today's film industry, sleeper hits like "Elemental" can succeed despite slow starts.
The article raises important questions about the industry's reliance on opening weekend numbers and the need for more patience in evaluating a film's success. It also suggests that filmmakers may need to adjust their expectations and budgets to account for the increasing uncertainty of the box office. Ultimately, the success of "Elemental" serves as a reminder that the film industry is constantly evolving, and that success can come in many different forms.
