Pixar animation film Elemental has weathered summer onslaught of films at the box office to earn over $400 million dollars at globally.
Elemental started out alarmingly slow since its release in June 16 to 18 three day weekend, earning a paltry $29.6 million dollars, the film company’s worst three-day weekend start behind 1995’s Toy Story which earned $29 million (a small fortune at the time) over a three-day Thanksgiving weekend.
But the animation rallied back when week after week it held in, enjoying one of the top multiples of any Pixar title in history at the North American box office. Surpassing DC’s summer release The Flash which opened same weekend to more audience but earned only $107 million domestically and $268.3 million globally, compared to Elemental which finished without a domestic tally of $146.2 million and $257.5 million overseas for a worldwide total of $403.7 million.
This is a far less profit for previous Pixar films but better than 2022’s ill-fated and woke Lightyear which limped to $218.8 million globally, as it means the animation which cost $200 million to make before marketing, will not be a huge money loser after all.
Part of Elemental’s success overseas, include turning into a juggernaut at the South Korea Market, which leads all market with $44.8 million thus far. Per Disney, admissions are expected to hit 6 million yesterday, meaning that tickets have been sold for one out of every eight person in the country.
Other milestones achieved in South Korea include: no 3 animated film of all time behind Walt Disney Animation’s two Frozen movies; no 2 release of 2023 among all films behind local title Round Up; and no 5 Hollywood release in the pandemic era after Avatar: The Way of Water, Spider-Man: No Way Home and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
Elemental opens in its final major market, Japan today, Friday, August 4, 2023.
