WARNING: SPOILERS ahead for Elio.
Pixar’s 2025 movieElioproves that the company still hasn’t raised the bar on its original sci-fi concepts since 2008’s groundbreaking and Oscar-winning animated feature,WALL-E.Eliois the latest film from the legendary production company Pixar, which has collaborated with Disney to make some of the greatest animated movies of all time. It’s the first Pixar movie since 2024’sInside Out 2, the highest-grossing film of last year, and has already receivedcritical acclaim with a Rotten Tomatoesscore of 85%. Elio is Pixar’s only theatrical release in 2025, withHoppersandToy Story 5set to release in 2026.
AlthoughEliohas had a slow start at the box officefollowing its July 08, 2025, release, those who have seen the film generally enjoy it, resulting in an RT audience score of 90%.Eliocenters on a young, orphaned boy who looks for connectionnot from the people or world around him but from beyond in the cosmos. Elio has his wish come true by being beamed up in a spaceship of planetary leaders who are collectively known as the Communiverse. Believing that Elio is the leader of Earth, based on an audio message he sent into space, the leaders of the Communiverse call on him to protect them from the formidable Lord Grigon.
Elio Is A New Type Of Sci-Fi Movie For Pixar
Elio Mixes Personal Story With Intergalactic Exploration
While Pixar has ventured into true sci-fi movies before, as seen inWALL-EandLightyear, Elio is a bit different in its approach and greater themes. InWALL-E, humans are mostly background characters, while robots such as WALL-E and Eve take the spotlight.Lightyearplays into the classic tropes of the iconicToy Storycharacter Buzz Lightyear, resulting in more of a superhero-type movie. With Elio, the story feels quite small and contained, which is surprising since it mostly takes place in outer space. This is to highlight the central theme of loneliness and alienation that lives at Elio’s core.
Elioalso features real-worldarchival audio recordings by the prolific scientist and author Carl Sagan. Sagan spoke extensively about the prospect of extraterrestrial life and played an integral part in the launch of Voyager 1, curating a variety of Earthly images and human sounds with the aim of making first contact with alien life. In this way,Eliofeels less like an adventure movie, even though it certainly has elements of such, and plays out as more of a theoretical journey. It categorizes the alien characters as highly evolved, peaceful, and nonconfrontational, which is a very different portrayal of alien life than most movies that cast them as enemies looking to take over Earth.
Pixar’s First Sci-Fi Movie Was A True Masterpiece
WALL-E Is Great Cinema For All Ages
ComparingElio, or any animated movie for that matter, toWALL-Eis a tough challenge. Not only isWALL-Ea six-time Oscar nominee and winner for Best Animated Feature, but it is also a box office smash, earning roughly $521 million worldwide. While Elio still has the potential to match these lofty levels of critical and commercial success, it will be a tough feat since it’s currently competing against Universal & DreamWorks' live-action remake ofHow to Train Your Dragonat the box office. Numbers aside,WALL-Eis more focused on societal commentary, particularly the excessiveness of consumerist culture, pollution, and waste.
WALL-Ereceived an outstanding 95%Rotten Tomatoesscore and is consistently referred to as one of the greatest Pixar movies ever made. Not only is WALL-E, which stands for Waste Allocation Load Lifter: Earth-Class, adorable, but the film is entertaining for both kids and adults and inspires a cautionary tale about humanity. Critics heraldedWALL-Efor its imaginative approach to what is, at its heart, a classic love story, while expanding on timely themes in an enjoyable and impactful manner.The first 30 minutes ofWALL-Eare a masterclass in visual storytelling, with very little dialogue and outstanding visuals and cinematography.
How Elio Compares To WALL-E
WALL-E Explores Themes Of Consumerism & Robotic Takeover
As two Pixar sci-fi movies, bothElioandWALL-Efeature outer space elements and characters to achieve different narratives. One of the biggest differences off the bat is the setting.Eliotakes place on modern Earth as we know it, breaking the barrier between human and alien life in a metaphysical, interdimensional way, which aligns more with modern thinking.WALL-Eis set in a far distant future where pollution and waste have made Earth uninhabitable, forcing humanity to exist on a spaceship/cruise ship hybrid where life is dictated by convenience and digital screens in a floating utopia.
Whereas WALL-E and Eve fight against broader systemic threats, like consumerism and corporate greed, to reroute the course of humanity, Elio’s journey is a truly personal one, which doesn’t thin his story but does make it feel smaller by comparison.
The main forces of antagonism inWALL-Eare the robotic takeover of humanity, and humanity-adjacent robots such as WALL-E and Eve. This notion rings even more true today with the rise of artificial intelligence. Whereas WALL-E and Eve fight against broader systemic threats, like consumerism and corporate greed, to reroute the course of humanity, Elio’s journey is a truly personal one, which doesn’t thin his story but does make it feel smaller by comparison. There are also more classic sci-fi movie elements seen inWALL-E, making some elements feel like a Star Wars film, whileElioleans more into sci-fi concepts than filmmaking techniques.
Elio Doesn’t Beat WALL-E As Pixar’s Best Sci-Fi Movie
WALL-E Does Just About Everything Right
Eliois a strong and enjoyable sci-fi offering from Pixar, although its biggest difference, and point of weakness, compared toWALL-E, lies in its antagonistic forces. Elio volunteers to confront Lord Grigon, who vows to destroy the Communiverse after his overly aggressive personality leads to his rejection from the council. Elio befriends Lord Grigon’s son, Glordon, and their unique connection is what ultimately brings Lord Grigon down from his power-hungry pedestal. Apart from intergalactic intrigue and a strong premise,Eliodoesn’t quite pack the same emotional punch asWALL-E, which presents exciting foes, thrilling action scenes, and more investable conflicts.
WALL-Eis ultimately more complex in its themes and execution, and offers an homage to the greatest sci-fi film ever made,2001: A Space Odyssey
Eliois a comforting, even lighthearted reminder that nobody is ever truly alone, even when they feel like it, if they believe in the power of connection beyond the known world. This could be applied in a variety of contexts, even religious, as the film offers a soothing interpretation of what has struck fear in humanity for decades.WALL-Eis ultimately more complex in its themes and execution, and offers an homage to the greatest sci-fi film ever made,2001: A Space Odyssey.This and more contribute to the fact that it may remain Pixar’s best sci-fi movie for many years to come.
