Pete Docter, Chief Creative Officer for Pixar, sparked backlash online when he said that the studio cut LGBTQ content from the 2025 animated film Elio.
Docter revealed to Wall Street Journal (WSJ) that the studio cut LGBTQ content from the film after the original cut tested poorly with audiences.
“We’re making a movie, not hundreds of millions of dollars of therapy,” he said.
When the original Elio director left the project due to the demanded changes, Madeline Sharafian and Domee Shi were tapped to lead the overhaul despite most of the animation having been completed. According to Variety, the studio removed “moments that indicated the title character was gay.”
“Previous versions of the film reportedly showed Elio with a pink bike and had a scene where he imagines a life together with his male crush,” it reported. “The changes sparked backlash within the Pixar staff, drama that was compounded by Disney’s decision to cut a transgender character from Pixar’s animated series Win or Lose.”
Docter’s comments garnered significant backlash online.
Despite the changes, Elio only made $150 million worldwide on a $150 million production budget, tanking at the box office.
Elio does have solid ratings from both audiences and reviewers on Rotten Tomatoes of 83 and 89 percent, respectively.
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