Elemental 2023

Movie · 101 min · English · May 27, 2023

Animated Animated comedy Romantic comedy-drama

Directed by Peter SohnWritten by Kat Likkel and John Hoberg, Brenda Hsueh

Starring Leah Lewis, Clara Lin Ding, Reagan To, Mamoudou Athie, Ronnie del Carmen

A 2023 American animated romantic comedy-drama film, Elemental features direction by Peter Sohn and screenplay contributions from John Hoberg, Kat Likkel, and Brenda Hsueh. The production was made under the banner of Walt Disney Pictures by Pixar Animation Studios, with voice acting provided by Leah Lewis, Mamoudou Athie, Ronnie del Carmen, Shila Ommi, Wendi McLendon-Covey, and Catherine O'Hara. The narrative unfolds in a world populated by elemental beings, centering on Ember Lumen (Lewis), a fire element, and Wade Ripple (Athie), a water element. These two characters navigate their city life while attempting to preserve a convenience store owned by Ember’s father, Bernie (Del Carmen).

The concept for Elemental originated when Sohn presented his idea to Pixar, exploring the potential for fire and water to form a connection. The story draws from Sohn's personal background, reflecting his experience as a child of immigrants growing up in New York City during the 1970s. This setting emphasizes cultural and ethnic variety, while influences include romantic movies such as Guess Who's Coming to Dinner (1967), Moonstruck (1987), and Amélie (2001). To gather visual inspiration, the creators observed city tours on YouTube, focusing on places like Venice and Amsterdam. The animation process involved developing character appearances using advanced tools, particularly for key figures. Elemental took approximately seven years to complete, with work carried out both at Pixar studios and from home, under an estimated $200 million budget. The musical score was composed by Thomas Newman, and the song "Steal the Show" was written and performed by Lauv. This film pays tribute to Pixar animator Ralph Eggleston, Amber Martorelli, J. Garrett Sheldrew, and editor Thomas Gonzales, who all passed away in 2022.

Elemental premiered at the 76th Cannes Film Festival on May 27, 2023 as a closing film outside of competition. It was then released in the United States on June 16, available in RealD 3D, 4DX, and Dolby Cinema formats. Despite underperforming initially compared to expectations, analysts later labeled it a sleeper success, earning $496.4 million globally. The movie received multiple award nominations, including the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature and the Golden Globe Award for Best Animated Feature Film.