Pixar is going through a bad time andBob Igeris well aware of it. The Disney CEO has just extended his contract with the House of Mouse after having returned to the company taking the place of his own replacement, Bob Chapek, who was in charge during one of the hardest times for the studio, that’s still going through the consequences.
During the Chapek administration, Disney had to navigate the pandemic and the explosion of the popularity of streaming platforms due to the quarantine, and that much of the world was confined to their homes. These factors and the crisis in the industry ledDisneyto use its streaming platform as the main source of releases, bringing its big franchises to the small screen, while also releasing some of its most anticipated film titles directly on Disney+, something that was strongly criticized by directors, screenwriters and even actors.
This measure mainly affected Pixar, which was one of the studios that released the most productions directly on streaming during this period. Movies likeSoul,LucaandTurning Redwere of great attraction for the platform, but caused Pixar’s return to theaters to be unsuccessful.Lightyearwas the clear example of the consequences of direct-to-streaming releases, and Elemental is going through the same path with one of the lowest debut weekends in the studio’s history.
Related:The Best Pixar Characters of All Time, Ranked
Speaking to CNBC’s Squawk Box (via The Wrap), Iger admitted that the studio was a victim of some administrative decisions made because of the effects of the pandemic, but he also made Pixar responsible for their own creative issues:
“There were three Pixar releases in a row that went direct to streaming, in part because of — mostly because of COVID. And I think that may have created an expectation in the audience that they’re going to eventually be on streaming and probably quickly, and there wasn’t an urgency. And then I think there was some, I think you’d have to agree that there was some creative misses, as well.”
Despite its rough start,Elementalhas managed to improve its performance at the box office based on good comments and positive reviews. Currently, in the animated field, the studio has a lot of fierce competition such as Dreamworks with productionsPuss in Boots: The Last Wishor Sony Pictures with itsSpider-Versesaga.
The next Pixar film slated to hit theaters isElio, a space adventure starring a young boy who accidentally becomes Earth ambassador across the galaxy. The company is also set to release its first ever television show coming directly to Disney+, titledWin or Lose. The series focuses on a school softball team that’s about to play their most important game in order to become champions. Every episode will center on a different character.Win or Loseis supposed to arrive at the streaming platform in December, although no official date has been announced.
