For the longest time, Pixar was the biggest name in animation and has made a ton of films that are now considered to be classics. However, much like Disney, they have been recently more focused on sequels, much to the disappointment of many viewers. Pixar shot back at audiences on social media, complaining that their recent original film “Elio” didn’t do well and that people shouldn’t ask for original content if they are not going to see it.
This attempt to criticize the audience only seems to be them trying to shift the blame. The main reason for Elio flopping is the lack of marketing, which did a huge disservice to promoting the film. There was hardly any form of the film’s release in any trailers or commercials, to the point where most people didn’t even know that the movie was already in theatres.
Not only that, but anything that we did get from the promotion of this movie did nothing to highlight any excitement. I didn’t understand what the movie was even about, and the art style they used has gotten tiresome at this point. People do want to see original stories, but that doesn’t mean they will automatically support anything new.
To me, it seems like Pixar was convinced that “Elio” would do fine, so long as it had the Pixar name slapped on it. Unfortunately for them, their name doesn’t hold as much weight as it once did. I know that there are very talented people working at their studios and that they are more than capable of making great films. However, they need to put in the effort to properly market their films and try out new things with their art styles and writing. I can only hope that they reflect on their mistakes and focus on internal issues, rather than blaming the audience.
