Box Office Showdown: Pixar's 'Elio' Struggles as 'How to Train Your Dragon' Soars
Pixar's 'Elio' records the studio's lowest opening at $21 million, while 'How to Train Your Dragon' leads with $37 million in its second weekend.
Overview
- Pixar's 'Elio' opened with $21 million, marking the studio's lowest box office debut ever.
- '28 Years Later' debuted with $30 million, achieving the biggest opening weekend for director Danny Boyle.
- 'How to Train Your Dragon' earned $37 million in its second weekend, dominating the US box office.
- The film 'How to Train Your Dragon' has grossed $358.2 million globally, outperforming its competitors.
- Production issues plagued 'Elio', which cost over $150 million and reflects a challenging period for Pixar.
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Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame the box office results as a stark contrast between the success of "How to Train Your Dragon" and the struggles of "Elio." They emphasize the financial implications and production challenges of "Elio," reflecting a critical perspective on Pixar's recent performance while celebrating the triumph of the former film.
"A pesar de los considerables nuevos estrenos de “Elio” y “28 Years Later”, “How to Train Your Dragon” se mantuvo como la película de mayor ingreso, recaudando 37 millones de dólares en ventas de boletos en su segundo fin de semana."
Chicago Tribune"The Universal Pictures live-action remake remained the top film, bringing in $37 million in ticket sales in its second weekend, despite the sizeable new releases of “Elio” and “28 Years Later.”"
"Pixar’s “Elio” had a particularly tough weekend."
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Center (3)
FAQ
Pixar's 'Elio' experienced troubled production including extensive rewrites, a director swap from Adrian Molina to Domee Shi and Madeline Sharafian, and delays from its original March 2024 release to June 2025. These issues, along with a budget that reportedly ballooned to $300 million, significantly affected the film's performance.
'How to Train Your Dragon' earned $37 million in its second weekend, topping the US box office and outperforming 'Elio,' which opened with $21 million, marking Pixar's lowest opening ever.
'Elio' had the lowest opening weekend for Pixar at $21 million and faced significant financial pressure due to its high production cost, reportedly over $150 million to $300 million, marking a challenging period compared to recent successes like 'Elemental' and 'Inside Out 2'.
The COVID-19 pandemic caused significant disruptions for Pixar, leading some films such as 'Soul,' 'Luca,' and 'Turning Red' to skip theatrical releases and premiere directly on Disney+, while others like 'Lightyear' were commercial disappointments, contributing to a rough stretch for the studio before recent moderate successes.
Audience reception was lukewarm, with some critics noting the film felt like a rehash of previous works and lacked innovation, while promotion efforts were minimal in markets like Mexico, contributing to low public awareness and poor box office turnout.
History
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