When it earned the worst opening weekend in studio history it seemed like “Elemental” was a sign that Pixar had lost the magic touch that made it a cornerstone of Disney’s box office dominance for years.
But over the past two months, “Elemental” has quietly won over audiences worldwide and steamed along to a $423 million total through this past Sunday, with $148 million coming from North America. While still not a theatrical hit, director Peter Sohn’s romantic tale is no longer the “Lightyear”-esque flop it once appeared destined to become, and has shown that Pixar is not as far off from returning to its past form as it seemed.