“Elemental” has set the streaming world on fire, as the film has been viewed 26.4 million times since making its debut on the Disney+ streaming service on September 13. The Walt Disney Company shared the numbers in an article released on their official website, adding that the debut was the “most watched movie premiere of the year” on the platform and “among its Top 10 movie premieres of all time.”
‘Elemental’ Has Strong Disney+ Debut
According to The Walt Disney Company, the initial five-day viewership of “Elemental” was the strongest that the service has seen from an animated film since “Turning Red” debuted in March of 2022. Making the feat even more impressive for “Elemental” is the fact that “Turning Red” did not have a wide theatrical release domestically — it was available exclusively on Disney+. “Elemental” even bested the numbers of “Turning Red” in Latin America, usurping the 2022 movie as the region’s most-viewed Disney+ film premiere of all time.
The stellar Disney+ launch completes what was a Cinderella commercial run for “Elemental.” The film disappointed at the box office after releasing on June 16, becoming Pixar’s second-worst opening of all time with just under $30 million earned throughout its opening weekend. A promising sub-40% drop in its second weekend indicated signs of life, but it did not look as though “Elemental” would recoup its $200 million pre-marketing budget. It appeared to be another blow in what was a deluge of box office disappointments for Disney this summer, with “The Little Mermaid,” “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny,” and “Haunted Mansion” all underwhelming compared to expectations.
“Elemental” displayed staying power, however, staying in the top five at the box office through its fifth weekend. The film performed incredibly well internationally, particularly in South Korea, where it earned over $50 million and still sat atop the box office in its sixth weekend after release. The film has earned over $484 million worldwide, $330 of which came internationally, according to Box Office Mojo. Pixar President Jim Morris told Variety in mid-August that, considering all revenue streams, “Elemental” will “certainly be a profitable film.“
“Elemental”
“Elemental” takes place in a city where different elements such as fire, land, water, and air reside and attempt to co-exist. It stars Leah Lewis as the voice of Ember Lumen and Mamoudou Athie as the voice of Wade Ripple. It was directed by Peter Sohn, who had previously directed “The Good Dinosaur” for Pixar.
“Elemental” currently has a 74% critics score and 93% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes; you can read our review of the film here.
The movie has received some representation at Disney Parks, with merchandise appearing at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World Resorts in the lead-up to release. A fireplace depicting Ember Lumen was spotted at the renovated Pixel Pool at Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel at Disneyland Resort last month.
Were you one of the millions of people who watched “Elemental” after it was added to Disney+? If so, what did you think? Let us know in the comments below.
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