Disney Delays Release of Its Next Big Animated Movie (but That’s a Good Thing)

One of the more intriguing titles on the horizon this summer movie season is Pixar’s Elio, but audiences are going to have to wait a little while longer to see it. As part of updates to its release schedule, Disney has pushed Elio‘s premiere date back to June 20th. The animated film was previously slated to debut on June 13th. Additionally, Disney dated director James Brooks’ Ella McCay for September 19th and the Sam Raimi-helmed horror movie Send Help for January 30, 2026, according to Deadline.

Elio follows the eponymous character, a young boy who gets whisked away on an intergalactic adventure when he’s abducted by aliens. Erroneously believed to be Earth’s leader by a community of various extraterrestrial species, Elio has to make the best of his extraordinary situation and possibly find a way home. At one point, it was supposed to hit theaters in March 2024, but the film was delayed due to the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike and behind-the-scenes changes at Pixar.

In November 2024, Disney restarted the Elio marketing campaign by unveiling a new poster and trailer, shedding light on the movie’s story and colorful cast of characters. In addition to the sci-fi elements, the preview hinted at a coming-of-age component, as Elio is trying to find his place in the world.

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A film being delayed so close to its release could be cause for concern, but the one-week shift should benefit Elio. The move means it will no longer be opening directly against the live-action remake of How to Train Your Dragon, which is targeting a similar family-friendly demographic. Elio is arguably in a better position to succeed at the box office now, which is important. While Pixar has historically been a massive draw, the studio has experienced its ups and downs at the multiplex in the post-pandemic era. It’s true last summer’s Inside Out 2 broke the $1 billion threshold, but 2022’s Lightyear bombed and 2023’s Elemental had a soft opening (though that film rebounded with a $496.4 million worldwide total). Disney is trying to ensure Elio faces as little competition as possible so it can stand out.

It’ll be interesting to see how much the new release date impacts Elio‘s box office performance. How to Train Your Dragon is a very popular franchise (the three animated films have combined to gross $1.6 billion globally), and the remake could be a sizable draw. If the live-action How to Train Your Dragon does well in its opening, there may not be as much demand for Elio. Still, Disney’s decision is sound; it makes more sense for it to debut alongside horror film 28 Years Later than another family offering. As long as Elio generates positive word-of-mouth, it should be a winner for Pixar. The studio is renowned for their emotional, original films, and Elio looks like it could be one of their most inventive efforts yet.