Pixar Previewed ‘Elemental’ and They Might Have Made the Next Great Romantic Comedy

Yesterday, the trailer dropped for Pixar’s latest animated offering, Elemental. If you didn’t see it then, definitely check it out here now. However, for the past two days prior, I was on a somewhat secret trio to Pixar Headquarters, to get a more in-depth look at the film. As a bonus, we were also shown the short Carl’s Date, which will be attached to Elemental. I’ll have a piece closer to the summer on my time at Pixar, but today, I wanted to talk about the movie’s footage, which I found to be highly impressive.

Elemental is, at its core, about two things. One is the sacrifices that parents make for their children so that they can have a better life. We saw some of that in the presentation, as well as explicitly told so by director Peter Sohn. The other is about coming together in spite of differences. Opposites can attract, our differences make us special, and love can bloom in that kind of situation. It all builds to suggest Pixar has made a romantic comedy, and a potentially great one at that.

What I saw was goddamn adorable. Not only did it look gorgeous, but it was highly amusing as well. Leah Lewis‘ Ember Lumen and Mamoudou Athie‘s Wade Ripple are immediately lovable, which is absolutely essential for this flick to work. There’s an undercurrent of acceptance of different types of individuals that never seems to suffocate the rom-com, but it does add something to a bit of animated fare that could almost seem simple by Pixar standards. Seeing them in action is not just visually stunning, but it’s utterly charming as well.

A Pixar rom-com? Yes, please. A visual challenge that the studio couldn’t have pulled off until recently, just based on technology? Yes, please. Heartwarming moments alongside a fart gag that had me cackling? Yes, please. Everything is set up for this to be Pixar’s most widely adored work in years. That’s going to be up to the audience, but I wouldn’t be shocked if Elemental became one of their bigger recent hits. It sure seems to have the goods.

I’ll have more to say about Elemental between now and its release, as well as potentially talk more about Carl’s Date, which I was lucky enough to have seen in its entirety. Both look very special, with the signature Pixar touch. So, sit tight, not just for further coverage, but for the animation studio to unleash more joy into the world this summer…

Stay tuned for more on Elemental!