Pixar Chief on Original Films: 'A Rough Time'

Pixar veteran Pete Docter has opened up about the studio's current challenges in developing fresh films and franchises, with their latest release, "Elio," facing a difficult opening at the box office.

Docter emphasized that Pixar must "figure out what audiences want before they realize it themselves." If not, the studio would simply be serving audiences "more of what they already know"—resulting in endless sequels and repetitive stories.

"We'd end up making Toy Story 27," Docter remarked during Fast Company's Most Innovative Companies Summit, just before the new film's release.

In the United States, "Elio" earned only $20.8 million during its opening weekend, marking the weakest debut for any Pixar film. It faced fierce competition from the new release "28 Years Later" and the recent live-action remake of "How To Train Your Dragon."

Internationally, the film has added $14 million, bringing its worldwide total to just $34.8 million—far below its reported $150 million production budget, a figure that doesn’t even include marketing expenses.

"It's a tough period. All we can do is stay true to our vision and believe in the stories we create," Docter said. "Whether a film succeeds or fails financially requires the same amount of hard work and dedication. You can't predict outcomes, but sometimes you just find that perfect combination of elements."

"Elio" has earned positive reviews from critics, but it clearly hasn't captured the widespread audience interest Pixar had anticipated. This stands in stark contrast to the studio's previous film, "Inside Out 2," which exceeded expectations and became Disney's highest-grossing release ever, earning $1.69 billion worldwide.

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Beyond the reception of specific films, broader trends are also shaping the industry. Lingering hesitation from the pandemic era remains, and audiences have grown accustomed to animated movies becoming quickly available on streaming platforms.

To manage these risks, Docter explained that Pixar is now following a general strategy: releasing one original film followed by a sequel to a past success. True to this approach, 2026 will see the launch of "Toy Story 5." While not the "Toy Story 27" Docter joked about, it adds another chapter to a franchise many thought concluded perfectly with "Toy Story 3," especially after the underperformance of the Buzz Lightyear spin-off, "Lightyear."

Looking forward, Pixar's upcoming slate reflects Docter's described balance of original ideas and established franchises. Alongside "Toy Story 5," next year introduces the human-animal body-swap comedy "Hoppers," followed by the feline-focused "Gatto" in 2027. These will be succeeded by "Incredibles 3" in 2028 and "Coco 2" in 2029.