Elio Made ‘Less Gay’ by Disney Execs—And It Cost Them Over $200 Million
Pixar’s “Elio” bombed at the box office after internal changes stripped it of its queer-coded themes. What was once a promising film about identity turned into a cautionary tale about executive meddling and missed opportunity.
Here’s the TL;DR...
Pixar’s Elio was originally queer-coded under director Adrian Molina but was gradually sanitized after executive feedback.
Key scenes—like Elio’s “trash-ion show” and implied male crush—were removed to make the character “more masculine.”
Disney spent years and reportedly over $200 million reworking the film, only for it to flop upon release in June 2025.
A Trash-ion Show That Got Tossed
Originally directed by Coco co-director Adrian Molina, Elio told the story of a lonely Earth boy mistakenly abducted by aliens who think he’s humanity’s leader. But early test footage showed a very different version of the film than what hit theaters.
One insider recalled a charming scene where Elio collects beach trash and turns it into homemade fashion—including a pink tank top. Internally, Pixar staff affectionately called the sequence his “trash-ion show.” The scene, among others, was cut after the film was deemed too “feminine” by higher-ups.
The final cut retained traces of that version—a cape made of soda tabs and cutlery—but no explanation for Elio’s fashion flair survived. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Elio was initially a queer-coded protagonist reflecting Molina’s identity as an openly gay filmmaker. While the film wasn’t meant to be a coming-out story—Elio is 11—executives reportedly pushed the character to become “more masculine” as production wore on.
America Ferrera Left, the Director Got Sidelined
The gutting of Elio’s identity coincided with a behind-the-scenes shakeup. Actress America Ferrera, who originally voiced Elio’s mom, quietly exited the project without explanation. By the summer of 2023, Pixar insiders say that Molina presented a new cut of the film to executives—only to be blindsided by what followed.
Sources claim Pixar chief Pete Docter gave feedback that reportedly left Molina “hurt,” and although the studio claims he remained “actively involved,” Elio was soon placed under the guidance of veteran director Mary Coleman. As the queer themes evaporated, so did Molina’s version of the film.
Test Screenings and a $200 Million Blunder
One early test screening in Arizona revealed an ominous warning sign. While audiences said they liked the film, not one person said they’d pay to see it in theaters. The message was clear: Pixar had a problem. Disney executives reportedly sank more resources into restructuring the movie, bringing the total estimated cost north of $200 million.
Despite the rewrite, Elio cratered at the box office when it opened the weekend of June 20–22, 2025. Sources inside Pixar called the film’s trajectory “catastrophic.” Staff who supported the original cut were left disillusioned, with one insider saying, “It just became about totally nothing.”
Is Pixar Dropping LGBTQ Content from All Its Movies?
Pixar is under the microscope again, this time for quietly dialing back LGBTQ themes in multiple recent projects—including Inside Out 2, Win or Lose, and Elio.
According to insider reports, Disney higher-ups—still spooked by the backlash to 2022’s Lightyear and its brief same-sex kiss—allegedly pushed animators on Inside Out 2 to make Riley “less gay,” shifting tone and lighting to emphasize platonic over romantic moments.
In Win or Lose, a storyline involving a transgender character was reportedly cut, with executives framing the move as a way to “let parents have those conversations at home.”
Then there’s Elio, which sources say was originally a queer-coded space adventure under co-director Adrian Molina. But after studio notes called for the film to feel “more masculine,” key characters and themes were removed—and the movie flopped hard, losing Disney more than $200 million at the box office.
Critics say this pattern reflects a larger pullback from inclusive storytelling at Pixar, while defenders argue it’s a shift toward broader audience comfort zones. Either way, the animation studio that once championed boundary-pushing narratives seems to be recalibrating.
News compiled and edited by Derek Gibbs and Steven Bubbles on June 30, 2025. Follow us on ClownfishTV.com for more gaming, pop culture and tech news, and consider subscribing for only $5 per month to get access to exclusive podcasts and other content.
Source:
The Hollywood Reporter, “Inside ‘Elio’s’ ‘Catastrophic’ Path: America Ferrera’s Exit, Director Change and Erasure of Queer Themes”, June 30, 2025.