Credit: Pixar Animation StudiosFor many years, Pixar Animation Studios has been a trailblazer in the film and animation industry. Ever since Toy Story (1995) captured audiences with the involvement of Apple’s Steve Jobs, this animation powerhouse has consistently set the industry standard.
Recognizing their exceptional talent, The Walt Disney Company forged a groundbreaking agreement, resulting in Pixar Animation Studios becoming a subsidiary of Walt Disney Studios. This transformative partnership marked a substantial milestone, solidifying their unparalleled influence and dominance in the industry.
Related: Pixar CEO Explains Why Buzz Lightyear Film Tanked at Box Office
Pixar Animation Studios has solidified a nearly commanding presence at prestigious events like the Oscars and various awards ceremonies, particularly in categories dedicated to animated works. Their achievements boast an impressive collection of accolades: a remarkable total of 23 Academy Awards, 10 Golden Globe Awards, and 11 Grammy Awards to date.
Since the introduction of the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature in 2001, Pixar Animation Studios has consistently garnered multiple nominations, often outshining competing animation companies and studios such as DreamWorks Animation, LAIKA Studios, Netflix Animation, and Sony Pictures Animation. Noteworthy is that 11 films from Pixar Animation Studios have clinched this prestigious award, beginning with Finding Nemo (2003) and followed by The Incredibles (2004), Ratatouille (2007), WALL-E (2008), Up (2009), Toy Story 3 (2010), Brave (2012), Inside Out (2015), Coco (2017), Toy Story 4 (2019), and Soul (2020).
Elemental: A Surprise Success
Related: Pixar Faces Serious Backlash Over Declining Quality, Putting Out “Laziest” Movie Yet
Initially, bad first impressions and negative early criticisms about the seriously declining, “lazy” quality of the animation and storytelling for Pixar’s newest film Elemental (2023) were turning into film critic snubs and mixed audience response. Things picked up for the studio however, as Elemental proved to be a sleeper hit as one of the few family-friendly films out during the summer.
After a disappointing drop in its fourth week, Elemental surprised everyone with a turnaround that saw The Walt Disney Company raking in over $400 million internationally.
Inspired by director Peter Sohn’s life and marriage as a Korean-American in New York City, Elemental takes place in Element City and follows the blossoming relationship between a Fire and Water elemental.
Leah Lewis takes on the role of Ember Lumen, a tough, quick-witted Fire element working at her family’s convenience store in Fire Town. Clara Lin Ding and Reagan To play younger versions of Ember. Mamoudou Athie is Wade Ripple, an emotional Water element and city inspector in Element City. Ronnie del Carmen is Bernie Lumen, Ember’s father and store owner, Shila Ommi is Cinder Lumen, Ember’s mother.
Wendi McLendon-Covey plays Gale Cumulus, an air element, and Wade’s employer. Catherine O’Hara is Brook Ripple, Wade’s mother, and Mason Wertheimer is Clod, a young Earth element with a crush on Ember. Ronobir Lahiri is Harold, Brook’s brother, and Wade and Alan’s uncle. Wilma Bonet is Flarrietta, Joe Pera is Fern Grouchwood, and Matt Yang King is Alan Ripple, Lutz, and Earth Pruner.
The Possibility of Elemental 2
Known Hollywood and Disney insider ThwipT added to Boardwalk Times’ coverage of The Hollywood Reporter, which detailed Disney CEO Bob Iger’s New York Times Dealbook Summit comments.
Iger admits to The Walt Disney Company making “too many” sequels as of late, and states that they are pulling back on greenlighting these follow-up projects — unless the “story that the creators want to tell is worth telling”.
ThwipT corroborated this hesitancy, sharing that Elemental director Peter Sohn wants (and clearly has plans for) a sequel to the surprisingly successful film, that Disney does not want to make a reality:
ThwipT: This is already true as Peter Sohn the director of Elemental wants a sequel but Disney is hesitant to green light it at the moment
Boardwalk Times: Disney CEO Bob Iger on Disney’s new approach to sequels:
“We have made too many… but we will only greenlight a sequel if we think the story that the creators want to tell is worth telling.”
(https://hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/bob-iger-dealbook-summit-disney-1235698528/)
This is already true as Peter Sohn the director of Elemental wants a sequel but Disney is hesitant to green light it at the moment https://t.co/gdoHsC29kF
— ThwipT (@ThwipT_) December 1, 2023
If Disney is hesitant to greenlight projects off on their initial film’s success, it appears that the higher-ups in the company are starting to catch on to the general fatigue that audiences have been expressing
2023 has been a difficult year for The Walt Disney Company, with several less-than-successful outings from Marvel Studios and even Lucasfilm’s Star Wars franchise — previously the dual golden goose IPs owned by the Mouse House. Now, the Marvel Cinematic Universe hangs on a precipice following the departure of the original six Avengers, as well as an uncertain future with the ongoing controversy surrounding their Thanos-equivalent (Josh Brolin) Big Bad for the Multiverse Saga, Kang the Conqueror played by Jonathan Majors.
With movies like Halle Bailey’s The Little Mermaid (2023) remake “flopping” in comparison to the previous remakes like Aladdin (2019), Beauty and the Beast (2017), and The Lion King (2019),
Walt Disney Animation’s latest offerings Strange World (2022) and Wish (2023) also failed to receive overwhelming critical or financial success, likely resulting in Iger’s sequel hesitancy.
Do you think greenlighting a Peter Sohn-directed Elemental 2 is a good idea for Disney and Pixar? Share your thoughts in the comments below!