Pixar Movie That Flopped At The Box Office Is Finding Major Disney+ Success

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Okay, so Pixar’s *Elio* didn’t exactly set the world on fire in theaters this summer, earning just $154 million worldwide – a pretty low number for them. But it looks like the film is finding a second life! It started streaming on Disney+ this Wednesday, September 17th, and it seems to be doing really well there. It’s a bit of a comeback story for a movie that really struggled at the box office.

The animated film *Elio* has quickly become popular on Disney+, reaching the top of the streaming charts in many countries. From the creators of beloved movies like *Toy Story*, *Finding Nemo*, and *Inside Out*, *Elio* is off to a strong start on the platform, despite having underperformed at the box office last year.

Disney+’s *Elio* is currently the most popular title in several key countries, topping the charts in the U.S., U.K., Australia, and Canada, as reported by FlixPatrol.

The movie *Elio* didn’t do well at the box office, earning just over $154 million worldwide. This made it Pixar’s second-lowest-grossing film ever released in theaters.

Only four Pixar films – *Onward*, *Luca*, *Soul*, and *Turning Red* – have earned less money at the box office. It’s worth noting that *Luca*, *Soul*, and *Turning Red* were released on streaming services during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

TopMob’s Jeff Ewing reviewed Pixar’s 2025 film, Elio, calling it “Imaginative but wildly uneven.” He liked the vibrant visuals and characters, but felt the story was disjointed and didn’t quite come together thematically.

I was completely captivated by *Elio*! It tells the story of a boy who always felt like he didn’t quite fit in, and his life is turned upside down when he’s unexpectedly taken by aliens. Suddenly, he’s caught up in a huge, galaxy-wide mystery that he needs to help solve. It’s directed by Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, and Adrian Molina, and features an incredible cast including Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldaña, and Jameela Jamil – I can’t wait to see what they’ve created!

Why Is Elio Thriving Now After Failing in Theaters?

While it’s great to see *Elio* quickly becoming popular on Disney+, Disney shouldn’t overanalyze its success just yet. It’s too early to draw any firm conclusions.

As of today, the movie *Elio*, which wasn’t successful in theaters last year, has been available for streaming for just a few days. It’s common for new movies – particularly those that were first shown in cinemas – to quickly become popular on streaming platforms. So, it’s not surprising that *Elio* is currently the most-watched title.

If this situation continues for more than a few days or weeks, we might be able to learn something from how the movie did.

This film’s success could be a one-time event, like a new movie finding an audience on streaming. Or, it might suggest that original Pixar films – those not based on established franchises – are generally performing well.

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Disney began releasing Pixar films on its streaming service at the same time they appeared in theaters. This marked a shift in how people experience Pixar movies.

Look, before 2020, Pixar had a magic touch – they could basically greenlight anything and audiences would show up. But things have definitely changed. Now, it feels like only a sure thing, like *Inside Out 2*, can really guarantee a big box office haul for them. It’s a tough climate for even Pixar to launch something completely new these days.

This might explain why *Elio* is gaining so much attention on Disney+. Many viewers no longer consider Pixar movies as films meant for the cinema and now automatically expect them to be released directly to streaming services.

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2025-09-22 21:05