Pixar’s Elio is the Best Family Movie of 2025

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2025 was a successful year for family movies, with Zootopia‘s sequel becoming one of the highest-grossing animated films ever and the live-action Lilo & Stitch remake performing extremely well in theaters. However, the sci-fi film Elio didn’t fare as well, earning only $154 million worldwide despite costing between $150 and $200 million to make. The film’s release was even delayed by a week to avoid competing with How to Train Your Dragon, but this didn’t improve its box office performance.

Even though it didn’t get a lot of pre-release buzz, Disney and Pixar’s sci-fi adventure, Elio, is doing very well on Disney+. Just four days after becoming available online, it was the most popular movie in 59 countries. Currently, it’s still a hit in the UK, ranking eighth on the streaming service’s Top Ten Movies list. Elio is a surprisingly popular film that’s proving to be a great choice for kids who love to imagine and parents who are big sci-fi fans.

Elio is an Alien Abduction Gone Right

Eleven-year-old Alex lives with his Aunt Olga, who is a major in the air force, ever since his parents passed away.

Elio feels like an outsider at school, and things at home are tough too. After becoming his guardian, Olga (voiced by Zoe Saldaña) had to give up her dream of becoming an astronaut, which puts a lot of strain on their unusual family. Eventually, overwhelmed by stress, Olga sends Elio away to summer camp.

Elio, fascinated by space and the possibility of alien life, is thrilled when he’s unexpectedly taken aboard a spaceship to the Communiverse – a beautiful, shared home for aliens from across the galaxy. He used some military tech to try and contact them, and now, through a mix-up, they believe he’s Earth’s leader! Suddenly, Elio finds himself in the middle of a major crisis as the ruthless alien warlord Grigon threatens the Communiverse and everything that led to his accidental abduction.

Pixar’s Elio shares similarities with classic sci-fi stories, centering on the friendship between a boy named Elio and the son of a powerful warlord. Like those films, Elio tackles big ideas—such as finding where you belong, feeling different, and the possibility of alien life—but it looks at them through the innocent perspective of a child, emphasizing fun, heartwarming moments, and a sense of wonder. The story suggests that prejudice isn’t something people are born with, and highlights the limitless, even universal, power of friendship to bridge any gap—even between different species.

Pixar’s Elio Lost Its Way in Production

The film resonates because it thoughtfully examines themes of loneliness, loss, and how people deal with difficult emotions. Though Elio is a science fiction story at its core, it could have been even more powerful and commercially successful if it had retained its original concept. Director Adrian Molina initially based the story on his own childhood experiences with social isolation while growing up on a military base. In the film, Elio’s connection to the Communiverse represents Molina’s own journey to finding a sense of belonging when he later attended the California Institute of the Arts, where he truly felt he belonged.

As a big movie fan, I was really fascinated to learn more about the original vision for Elio. Apparently, the filmmakers initially planned for a much clearer queer storyline, even showing Elio imagining his future with a male partner and raising a child together. It turns out Elio’s character was partly inspired by Adrian Molina, who was originally going to direct but left the project. Sadly, a lot of those scenes were cut, and Pixar executives asked the creative team to make Elio seem ‘more masculine.’ They were even told to constantly adjust his personality, removing things like his interest in fashion, protecting the environment, and even his pink bike! It’s a shame because it sounds like the original Elio was a much more fully realized and authentic character.

Following Molina’s exit, reports suggest some employees left because Pixar significantly altered a promising project, making it feel much more ordinary. In a recent interview with The Wall Street Journal, concerns were raised that some parents don’t want entertainment that requires them to discuss difficult topics with their children, and that Pixar should focus on filmmaking rather than addressing complex emotional issues. This sentiment came amidst the release of Elio, which reportedly cost Disney over $100 million.

Elio Hosts a Plethora of Sci-Fi Movie References

Although, like Lightyear, it had a difficult time attracting moviegoers, Elio earned positive reviews from critics. However, it didn’t perform well in theaters initially, but quickly became popular on Disney+ when it was released in September 2025. Elio has remained a hit, boosted by a surprise nomination for Best Animated Feature at the Oscars and its many science fiction elements, which appeal to both adults and kids.

The movie Elio draws heavy inspiration from classic science fiction films like E.T. and Close Encounters of the Third Kind. It’s filled with hidden references – or “Easter eggs” – for fans of films like Signs and Terminator 2, as well as nods to Pixar’s signature details like the A113 code and the Pizza Planet truck. Beyond that, Elio playfully references iconic sci-fi moments, such as the chestburster scene from Alien, the creatures in The Thing, and Star Trek – even featuring a voice appearance from Kate Mulgrew when the main character learns about the Voyager 1 spacecraft.

Elio is a love letter to science fiction for all ages that “touches to the deepest of human concerns” regarding our place in the universe. Considering the film’s connection to the Golden Record message aboard Voyager 1, the film uses archival recordings of real-life astronomer and scientist Carl Sagan. As chair of the committee, Sagan selected the contents of the record, which acts like a “bottle into the cosmic ocean” that can only be played by “advanced space-faring civilizations in interstellar space” like the Communiverse who discover it. Taken from a 1985 radio interview about his , the voice-over at the film’s end when Elio returns home and the existence of extraterrestrial life is revealed to Earth, features Sagan discussing his lifelong interest in the possibility of aliens and the real-life equipment that allows humans to search for extraterrestrial life — asking Elio‘s audience, “are we alone?”

A Visually-Stunning Sci-Fi Film for All the Family

The aliens in the world of Elio are intentionally different from typical alien designs seen in films like Close Encounters and Alien. Instead of the classic ‘grey alien’ or scary, parasitic creatures, the filmmakers drew inspiration from tiny life forms on Earth. For example, the alien ambassador, Questa, is based on Radiodonta, an ancient group of worm-like creatures, while Glordon is inspired by insect larvae. The Hylurgians are designed to resemble massive…

This film tells the story of humanity’s initial contact with aliens, delivering a hopeful message about understanding, kindness, and a positive future for everyone. It’s a funny, heartwarming adventure perfect for the whole family, and critics are loving it – it currently has an 83% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, calling it a visually beautiful and emotionally engaging experience for viewers of all ages.

As a total movie buff, I’m really excited about Elio! It’s got some fantastic actors – Zoe Saldaña, Brad Garrett, and Jameela Jamil – alongside some incredible new talent like Yonas Kibreab, who plays Elio, and Remy Edgerly. It’s being described as a bit like The Wizard of Oz, taking you on this amazing journey beyond our world, but ultimately bringing you back home. Honestly, it feels like Pixar has created something everyone will enjoy. It’s a sweet coming-of-age story that tackles important themes like figuring out who you are, feeling good about yourself, and finding where you belong. I think it’ll inspire a whole new generation of kids – like Elio himself – to look up at the stars and dream about what else is out there.

Elio is available for streaming worldwide on Disney+.

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2026-04-22 01:11