Darcie 
Darcie shares her insights on the first footage of Disney Pixar’s Elio, which was presented at a special event in London.
Pixar, the studio known for its quick, vibrant, yet emotionally thought-provoking films, presented special footage from its upcoming movie Elio in London this week. Elio is a true Sci-Fi adventure. At the presentation, producer Mary Alice Drumm shared some fantastic insight into the creative process behind the film. What started as an elevator pitch—‘ What if the weirdest eleven-year-old got abducted by aliens?’—evolved into a vibrant, star-shooting adventure.
SPECIAL PRESENTATION
We were shown a combination of snapshots equal to around 25 minutes of footage at the presentation. The scenes were spaced throughout the narrative and gave a flavor of what to expect. Its unique nature is akin to blue raspberry sweetness – we all know a raspberry is a reddish color and slightly sour, but blue raspberry as a flavor is sweet and exciting the color fun. It’s unexpected and leaves you with a blue tongue. That is precisely what Elio is – fun! The design choices are like nothing you’ve seen before.
We’ve all seen aliens, but Elio’s aliens are unique, varied creatures, unlike anything we have seen before. With such a bold look, the film could have looked slightly chaotic in its design. However, the colors stick to a well-crafted spectrum—pinks, blues, and purples that blend for a magical look.
MEET ELIO
Meet Elio – a lonely boy who, after the death of his parents, feels no one understands or needs him. His solution? He decides to befriend aliens. For that, he needs to get abducted. This is a unique concept, as traditional portrayals of abduction are often terrifying. Even in the friendliest depictions featuring aliens, humans typically do not want to be taken. As the trailers reveal, Elio gets his wish when a group of aliens known as the “Communiverse” discovers him. This committee of aliens shares knowledge on their octopus-like planet.
PIXAR’S ELITE
Elio has all the foundations to join Pixar’s elite films (think Toy Story, Wall-E, Bugs Life). However, its vibrant look and unique premise can only take the movie so far. What makes Pixar films so unique is their emotional punch. In the footage we saw this week, there were clear indicators that Elio is poised to hit us in the feels.
Alice Drumm provided excellent insights into Elio’s production process at Pixar. The producer discussed everything from cape competitions to bug analysis. She also reflected on her own experiences at Pixar, teasing the possibility of Coco 2, which is quite exciting. Throughout her talk, her passion, along with that of the Pixar team, for their work, creations, and legacy in filmmaking, was evident, and this enthusiasm clearly translates into Elio</em>. I cannot wait to see the whole film.
Elio arrives in cinemas on 20th June 2025.
Darcie Gray is the Fashion Editor of The Future of the Force. Aside from being a passionate Star Wars fan, she loves every genre of movies and she channels her passion for film into her personal blog Just Another Film Blog. Follow her on Twitter where she shares her love of film regularly.
