# Elio (film)

Elio is an upcoming American animated science fiction adventure film produced by Pixar Animation Studios. It is being directed by Madeline Sharafian and Domee Shi with initial direction by Adrian Molina. The film stars the voices of Yonas Kibreab, Jameela Jamil, Brad Garrett, Zoe Saldaña, Remy Edgerly, and Shirley Henderson. It follows an eleven-year-old boy named Elio Solis (Kibreab) who accidentally becomes the intergalactic ambassador of planet Earth after being beamed up to the Communiverse by aliens for making contact. He must form new bonds with eccentric alien lifeforms and navigate a crisis of intergalactic proportions.
The film was officially announced at the D23 Expo in September 2022, with Molina and Drumm already attached to the project as director and producer respectively, while Kibreab and America Ferrera were revealed to be cast in the lead voice roles of Elio and his mother, respectively. Jamil and Garrett joined the cast in June 2023. In August 2024, it was announced that Ferrera left the project due to scheduling conflicts and she would be replaced by Saldaña as Elio's aunt, while Shi and Sharafian would replace Molina as the directors though he still retains a director credit. Edgerly and Henderson were cast in November 2024. Its musical score is being composed by Rob Simonsen.
Elio is scheduled to be released in theaters in the United States on June 20, 2025.

## Premise

   For centuries, people have called out to the universe looking for answers—in Disney and Pixar's all-new feature film Elio, the universe calls back! The cosmic misadventure introduces Elio, a space fanatic with an active imagination and a huge alien obsession. So, when he's beamed up to the Communiverse, an interplanetary organization with representatives from galaxies far and wide, Elio's all in for the epic undertaking. Mistakenly identified as Earth's leader, Elio must form new bonds with eccentric alien lifeforms, navigate a crisis of intergalactic proportions, and somehow discover who and where he is truly meant to be.

## Voice cast

* Yonas Kibreab as Elio Solis, an eleven-year-old boy who is mistakenly identified by aliens as Earth's ambassador
* Jameela Jamil as Questa, an alien ambassador
* Brad Garrett as Lord Grigon, a bulky, four-legged alien ambassador
* Zoe Saldaña as Olga Solis, Elio's aunt
* Remy Edgerly as Glordon, an alien
* Shirley Henderson as OOOOO, an alien

## Production
### Development

On September 9, 2022, during the D23 Expo, Pixar announced a new original film titled Elio, with Adrian Molina set to direct and Mary Alice Drumm set to produce. It would have marked Molina's feature-length solo directorial debut after having co-directed and co-written Coco (2017). At the same time, Molina and Drumm talked about the film by helping pose the question, "What if I told you we're not alone in the universe, and everything you've ever heard about aliens is true?" Shortly after, the announcement came with a planned screen glitch and a message with alien text saying, "Bring us to your leader."
On June 12, 2024, Pixar's chief creative officer Pete Docter revealed that Turning Red (2022) director Domee Shi was working on the film. She was officially announced as the new director at the D23 fan event on August 9, 2024, alongside Madeline Sharafian with Molina leaving the film to work on a new project, although he is reportedly retaining his directing credit.

### Casting

On September 9, 2022, during the D23 Expo, America Ferrera and Yonas Kibreab were announced to have been cast in the leading voice roles of Olga Solis and her son Elio, respectively. On June 13, 2023, with the release of the first teaser trailer and poster, Jameela Jamil and Brad Garrett joined the film's voice cast. On August 9, 2024, Docter stated that Ferrera stepped out due to scheduling conflicts; parts of her voice acting still remain in the first teaser trailer. As a result, the character of Olga was rewritten as Elio's aunt and voiced by Zoe Saldaña. On November 21, 2024, with the release of the second teaser trailer and poster, Remy Edgerly and Shirley Henderson joined the film's voice cast as Glordon and OOOOO, respectively.

## Music

On November 21, 2024, Rob Simonsen was announced to compose the score for the film.

## Release

Elio is scheduled to be theatrically released in the United States by Walt Disney Pictures on June 20, 2025. It was originally scheduled to be released on March 1, 2024, but in October 2023, the film was delayed to June 13, 2025. According to Pete Docter, the film's delay was due in part to the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike as well as the change in leadership on this film and other projects at Pixar. On February 14, 2025, Elio was delayed to one week later to avoid competition with How to Train Your Dragon.

### Marketing

Following the project announcement, the first look concept art of the film was released on September 9, 2022. Joshua Meyer of /Film said it "sounds like the kind of fresh, original storytelling that Pixar built its brand on." The first teaser trailer was released on June 13, 2023, featuring "Good Feeling" by Austin French. Ethan Anderton of /Film said "Adding some charm to this story is the fact that Elio isn't exactly the most confident kid. Though he's artistic and creative, he's also more of an indoor kid who doesn't fit in with his peers. But perhaps being among a group of aliens who aren't human will allow him an opportunity to make a connection without any societal pressure. This just might be the opportunity Elio needs to come out of his shell." Pauli Poisuo of Looper says while it "obviously doesn't give too much of the story away, it certainly looks gorgeous and intriguing."
The second teaser trailer, revealing new changes such as a new logo, was released on November 21, 2024, featuring "Such Great Heights" by the Postal Service. Julie and T.J. of Pixar Post said the film "drew visual comparisons to past Pixar films like Coco, WALL-E, and Finding Nemo with colorful characters, movement, and lighting."