The last few years have been challenging for Pixar. Amidst digital releases derived from the pandemic – plus the lack of significant marketing efforts – films like Luca and Turning Red have had lackluster box office results. History is repeating itself with Elio. With barely any marketing, the film is struggling in cinemas and has now been practically left for dead by Disney. Rewatching the first teaser trailer released back in 2022, it’s clear the end product detoured vastly from what was originally planned for the film. More recently, news surfaced about production problems that seem to indicate there were deep creative differences between the higher-ups at Disney and director Adrian Molina – ending with his departure from the project. According to insiders from the film’s production, Elio was planned to be “a queer-coded character,” but directions from the studio rerouted his portrayal.
This isn’t surprising, considering that conservative detractor voices have been getting louder and louder in the current political climate. With Disney accused of being “too woke,” backtracking on this vision for Elio isn’t surprising, but it does send a discouraging message to the community. Regardless, through its main theme of a quest for identity and validation, Elio still manages to tell a story that resonates deeply with the LGBTQIA+ community.
The Shared Fears of LGBTQIA+ Youth Are a Prevalent Theme in ‘Elio’
The classic Disney dilemma of parental loss is present in Elio. Because of his parents’ deaths, Elio (Yonas Kibreab) is now living with his aunt Olga (Zoe Saldaña), and though Olga is nothing but supportive and caring, Elio is an almost-teenager who feels inevitably misunderstood. His sense of isolation is heightened when he’s put with other kids his age, as he doesn’t feel he can be his true self with them. Being young and queer brings the same sense of loneliness and alienation. When you’ve been taught all your life that everything must be heterosexual and binary, identifying as part of the community immediately takes you out of the societal loop. Not fitting in with others during our youth is what prompts us to look outside our established community for people with the same interests and tastes.
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In space, Elio comes across Glordon (Remy Edgerly), the son of the warmongering Lord Grigon (Brad Garrett). Having grown up in a culture that worships violence, Glordon avoids having to admit to his father that he doesn’t want to become a war machine. This is another of the LGBTQIA+ youth’s greatest fears – not living up to your family’s expectations. Instead, Glordon accepts Elio’s risky proposal that takes him all the way to Earth, endangering his own life in the process. In many cases, this is the way we deal with our families. Since we assume our coming-out process will be received with hostility, we decide to distance ourselves altogether. These are the extreme lengths that we go through to avoid facing those who might judge us the harshest.
‘Elio’ Carries the Important Message of Finding Respect and Validation Within Your Family and Others
While we all strive to be unique and stand out as individuals, we will always want to find a community with which we can share and be ourselves. Elio hasn’t found that on Earth. Thus, his desperation makes him try to communicate with other beings. The Communiverse of aliens with which he comes in contact can be seen as what the LGBTQIA+ community represents for the queer youth in two relevant ways. Firstly, Elio experiences relief and excitement when coming in contact with them, which is the same comfort we feel when finding people with our same tastes. Realizing we’re not alone in this journey is one of the most important ways to feel validated.
Secondly, and perhaps more delicately, the way the aliens’ existence has always been denied is equal to the way the queer community is treated by conservatives. Initiatives such as the “Don’t Say Gay” bill try to “shield” children from our existence. These efforts push a much more damaging issue, by denying the fact that LGTBTQIA+ childhoods exist. This also perpetuates the vicious cycle of seeing sexuality as a choice that only adults can make, demonizing other identities and orientations for the youth. Elio integrates these two aspects and concludes that, in meeting the Communiverse, Elio finally realizes that he has all the love and support he needs – both on Earth and in outer space.
In the end, both Elio and Glordon find solace in being heard and understood by their families. Even when breaking the mold, they’re still loved and respected for who they are. Fortunately, Elio’s strong and heartwarming message doesn’t get diluted by not being explicit about Elio’s orientation. The same way Flow could be interpreted as an allegory of the COVID-19 pandemic, Elio leaves this queer youth subtext to be read between the film’s lines. Through cleverness and subtlety, Elio sends an encouraging signal to LGBTQIA+ children (and adults) who watch it – a tender reassurance that life gets better.
Elio
- Release Date
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June 18, 2025
- Runtime
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98 minutes
- Director
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Adrian Molina, Domee Shi
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Yonas Kibreab
Elio / Other Elio (voice)
