These Are the Pixar Movies That Emotionally Wrecked People Who Work at Pixar

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It’s no surprise that even the team behind Pixar movies, renowned for their tear-jerking moments, can’t help but get emotional. Chris Killian from ComicBook spoke with the creators of Disney/Pixar’s latest film, Elio, about their sources of inspiration and influences as they brought to life a story centered around a young space enthusiast embarking on an interstellar journey. When asked by ComicBook which Pixar movie had the most profound emotional impact on them, whether they worked on it or not, the team members unanimously chose Coco as the film that pulled at their heartstrings the hardest among the studio’s 28 iconic animations.

In a statement, Madeline Sharafian, the director, shared that she found it amusing because she had worked on the movie Coco, and at each screening during storyboarding, she couldn’t help but cry. The number of times she saw it or her knowledge that the emotional scene was coming didn’t affect this reaction.

Coco Was the Most Popular Answer Among Pixar Employees

Harley Jessup, the production designer for Elio, was also involved in creating the movie Coco. However, he admits that even to this day, the ending of Coco affects him deeply. During his presentations about it, he learned not to play the final sequence because it brings him close to tears every time.

Jessup expressed, “There’s something incredibly cool, moving, and beautiful about all the ancestors being together.” Given the extensive time spent on the project and their close collaboration, this is a heartfelt commendation for how deeply Coco touched not just its viewers, but also its creators.

Up and Inside Out Also Hit Pixar’s Filmmakers Hard

Interestingly, the opening sequence of Up, accompanied by Michael Giacchino’s emotional composition “Married Life,” was frequently brought up. In fact, Up‘s producer Mary Alice Drumm and lighting art director Ernesto Nemesio highlighted this montage as particularly poignant.

Among the three directors of Elio, Domee Shi particularly finds a specific scene from Inside Out deeply moving, even though she was involved in its story development. “It’s not the Bing Bong scene,” Shi explained. “The scene that follows, where Riley cries in front of her parents, is what really affects me. It resonates because it seems so authentic. Her voice is delicate and exposed, making it feel like a genuine, well-depicted moment between a child and a parent.

Three remarkable movies, “Coco”, “Inside Out”, and “Up”, are among the timeless animated productions from Pixar’s repertoire. The absence of earlier films such as “Toy Story” or “Finding Nemo” in this list showcases Pixar’s dedication to superior storytelling and their consistent efforts to move us emotionally with each fresh release.

However, will Elio embark on the same journey? The narrative revolves around a young dreamer captivated by space and rich in imagination. As Elio ventures into cosmic realms, he encounters exotic alien beings, grapples with an interstellar predicament, and ultimately seeks to understand his true identity. Production designer Jessup anticipates that Pixar’s new creation will resonate deeply emotionally.

Elio hits theaters on June 20th.

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2025-05-29 17:09