Pixar reveals a new look at its upcoming space adventureEliothat takes it in an entirely new direction. Originally scheduled to release in March 2024, the studio later shifted the film to June 2025. TheupcomingEliowas directed by Domee Shi (Turning Red) and Madeline Sharafian (a story artist on bothTurning RedandCoco) after the departure of Adrian Molina (Coco), who still has a co-director credit. It follows a young human boy (Yonas Kibreab) who accidentally travels to space and is mistaken for Earth’s ambassador. The cast also includes Jameela Jamil, Brad Garrett, and Zoe Saldaña.
DisneyandPixarhave nowrevealed a new trailer forElio. To the strains of The Postal Service’s “Such Great Heights,” the trailer first introduces the title character as he daydreams about life among the stars. However, instead of finding signs of extraterrestrial life, it finds him. He is abducted, to his great delight, and meets three kooky ambassadors from other planets, going on a spacefaring adventure that includes an awe-inspiring room full of waterfalls that turns out to be the bathroom. Check out the trailer below:
What This Means For Elio
On top of simply showcasing the movie,the new trailer reveals how much has changed about the projectsince the release of theoriginalEliotrailerin June 2023. In addition to the change in directors, the movie also underwent major creative and story changes, including a reassessment of the title character that, as Pete Docter toldTheWrap, “really helped the audience to connect.” Zoe Saldaña also joined the cast as Elio’s aunt Olga Solis, replacing America Ferrera, who was originally cast as Elio’s mother and had to drop out due to scheduling conflicts.
America Ferrera is best known for her television roles onUgly BettyandSuperstoreand was recently nominated for an Oscar for her supporting role inBarbie.
The original trailer, which featured the previous incarnation of theEliocast, took on a much more serious tone, emphasizing the grandeur of space and the emotional disconnect between Elio and his hardworking mother. While the latter half of the trailer showcased a variety of comic relief moments that feel similar to the new trailer,the main character feels entirely different and more dour. The biggest shift comes in the abduction sequence, which plays out in the same way, but features Elio having the exact opposite reaction, crying out “No thank you!” instead of “Yes! I knew it!”
Our Take On The Elio Trailer
The Movie Is Much More Similar To Turning Red Now
This new trailer indeed feels like it is the work of the creatives behindTurning Redrather thanCoco. With a gleeful main character embracing an obsession, Elio now feels quite similar to the boy-band-loving Mei ofTurning Red. His buoyant energy, mixed with the more explicitly modern world around him that now includes smart phones and wireless earphones that were not present in the original trailer,feels much closer to Shi’s sensibility as an animation director.
It remains to be seen if this will allow the movie to connect better with audiences…
Turning Redproved Shi and Sharafian’s ability to navigate a heartfelt Pixar story while also including a more modern sense of enthusiasm and fun, which seems to be the primary goal of the new iteration ofElioas opposed to being a more straightforward tearjerker dramedy likeCoco. It remains to be seen if this will allow the movie to connect better with audiences, butit seems that Pixar has gotten exactly what they intended from the projectnow.
Elio
Cast
Elio follows the journey of a space enthusiast who embarks on a cosmic adventure, encountering eccentric alien lifeforms and facing an intergalactic crisis. During this odyssey, he attempts to forge new friendships and discovers his true identity in the universe. Released in 2025, the film explores themes of self-discovery and friendship.
