US EditionPixar Explain Dropping LGBTQ Themes of Elio
Pixar removed Elio's LGBTQ scenes to appeal to broader audiences and avoid exposing young viewers to content parents might not be ready to discuss, studio said.
- Recently, Pete Docter told the Wall Street Journal that Pixar ordered a complete overhaul of 2025's Elio and removed its LGBTQ storyline after poor audience testing.
- Following poor audience testing, Docter said Pixar worried some parents 'didn’t want media to broach topics they weren’t ready to discuss with their children' and reworked the film, removing elements suggesting the character was gay.
- When Madeline Sharafian and Domee Shi took over, they reworked Elio despite more than half the animation being complete and removed queer signifiers like a pink bicycle and scenes with a male crush.
- Financially, Elio grossed $150 million worldwide and cost $150 million to produce, leaving Disney with losses of over $100 million despite an 83% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes.
- Looking beyond Elio, Pixar's shift toward broader appeal means staff backlash and mourning over cuts like a transgender character from Win or Lose, as Docter pushes for sequel-friendly stories.
21 Articles
21 Articles
Controversy Erupts as Pixar Removes LGBTQ Themes from 'Elio'
Pixar has found itself at the centre of a debate after one of its top executives explained why an LGBTQ storyline was removed from the studio's animated film Elio. The decision, which came during a massive overhaul of the project, was defended by Pixar's chief creative officer Pete Docter, who said the studio's primary goal was to make a family film rather than tackle personal themes that might require more context for young audiences. Originall…
Pixar boss reveals blunt reason why studio cut 'Elio' LGBTQ storyline
The 2025 film underwent a major creative overhaul following a 2023 test screening.Elio in Pixar's 2025 movie, 'Elio'Credit: Disney/PixarKey pointsPixar's chief creative officer explained why it cut LGBTQ+ themes out of 2025's Elio.The animated film underwent a major creative overhaul after a 2023 test screening.The inclusion of LGBTQ+ storylines and characters has historically been an uphill battle for Pixar creatives.Pixar's chief creative offi…
Pete Docter Says Pixar Cut ‘Elio’ LGBTQ Themes Because “We’re Making a Movie, Not Hundreds of Millions of Dollars of Therapy”
The animation company's chief creative officer said they did not want their film to force parents to have conversations they weren't ready to discuss with their children.
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