“Elio” is coming to Disney+.
The latest animated Pixar adventure will arrive on Disney’s direct-to-consumer streaming service on Sept. 17. “Elio” follows the title character, a lonely little boy who dreams of being abducted by aliens – and then does get abducted! He arrives at the Communiverse, a space station populated by all sorts of crazy, colorful creatures, and is thrust into an unexpected conflict.
“Elio” was released by Disney on June 20, and was available digitally on Aug. 19. It just hit physical media (DVD, Blu-ray and 4K UHD) this week.
The movie, which has a reverse “E.T.” structure, following a child surrounded by aliens, underperformed theatrically, beset by stiff competition from DreamWorks and Universal’s live-action “How to Train Your Dragon” and Disney’s own “Lilo & Stitch” remake (not to mention “KPop Demon Hunters” at home on Netflix). It made just $154 million globally, compared to last summer’s Pixar joint “Inside Out 2,” which amassed more than $1.69 billion worldwide.
Hopefully “Elio” will find its audience on Disney+, as streaming often gives movies that were considered box office disappointments a new lease on life. The film was directed by Oscar-nominated “Turning Red” filmmaker Domee Shi and Madeline Sharafian, who made the delightful Pixar shirt “Burrow.”
Pixar’s next feature is “Hoppers,” which follows a young woman whose consciousness is transferred into a robotic beaver, arriving in theaters on March 6, 2026. “Hoppers” is followed, just a few months later, by “Toy Story 5,” written and directed by Pixar legend Andrew Stanton, which hits theaters on June 19, 2026. The latest installment in the franchise features new characters voiced by Conan O’Brien and Anna Faris, along with classic characters voiced by Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack and Tony Hale. Ernie Hudson takes over to voice Combat Carl, after Carl Weathers sadly passed away in 2024.
“Elio” hits Disney+ on Sept. 17.
