Disney has dropped the teaser trailer for Pixar‘s sci-fi comedy, “Elio” (June 13, 2025). It’s a celestial coming-of-age adventure with eye-popping intergalactic aliens and phosphorescent-looking environments. It’s about 11-year-old Elio (Yonas Kibreab), a one-eyed, alien-obsessed social misfit, who beams up to an inter-planetary paradise, where he gets mistaken as Earth’s leader. He has a blast forming new bonds while navigating an intergalactic crisis without being found out.
“Elio” is produced by Mary Alice Drumm (associate producer of “Coco”) and directed by Madeline Sharafian (the “Burrow” short) and Domee Shi (“Turning Red”), who replaced Adrian Molina (“Coco” co-director) mid-production.
“Elio” was to mark Molina’s directorial debut and was a personal story. But story problems ensued, and the original release (March 1, 2024) was delayed until June 13, 2025, in part because of the SAG-AFTRA strike. This marked the first time that Pete Docter, Pixar’s chief creative officer, had to replace a director during his tenure. He told The Wrap that Elio required reworking to provide a greater connection for the viewer and to further his character arc. He also revealed that Sharafian and Shi are co-partners, which breaks with tradition at Pixar of having a co-director. Docter additionally told Time that semi-autobiographical stories require a balance between the personal and the universal.
In any event, Molina is still credited as co-director and has been reassigned to direct an upcoming Pixar feature. There was a cast change as well: America Ferrera, originally cast as Elio’s aunt, was replaced by Zoe Saldaña because of a scheduling conflict.
The voice cast also includes Remy Edgerly as Glordon, Brad Garrett as Lord Grigon, Jameela Jamil as Ambassador Questa, and Shirley Henderson as OOOOO.
