Imagine if elements like air, earth, wind, and fire could feel emotions. Well, wonder no more! Pixar, known for making movies about inanimate objects, is now creating a film where elements have thoughts and feelings. They’ve given life to toys, cars, and even feelings before, and now they’ll do the same for the elements in their new movie, Elemental.
Pixar’s 27th feature film, Elemental, aims to make a positive impact by portraying a heartwarming story about finding common ground despite our differences. In this movie, the characters work to resolve their conflicts and turn their differences into something harmonious, even if it means facing challenges and getting into a bit of trouble along the way. This film promises to leave you feeling warm and fuzzy inside as you witness the power of unity and understanding.
The Trailer
The teaser trailer for Elemental is dreamy, sweet, and a little silly. It introduces viewers to Element City, where four different kinds of residents live – air beings, land beings, water beings, and fiery flames. The trailer also focuses on the two main characters, Ember and Wade. We see these unique beings boarding a busy train, and we get a glimpse of the physics in this new universe. The air beings float and even sit upside-down on the train’s ceiling, while the water being’s lipstick floats around her head after a bump. The land-being smiles as grass sprouts on his head, but there’s a mishap when Wade accidentally drips water on Ember’s hand, causing her some discomfort. It’s an enchanting and playful preview of what promises to be an entertaining adventure.
What Will Elemental Be About?
The official film synopsis is as follows:
“The film journeys alongside an unlikely pair, Ember and Wade, in a city where fire-, water-, land- and air-residents live together. The fiery young woman and the go-with-the-flow guy are about to discover something elemental: how much they actually have in common.”
Ember and Wade reside in a lively bayside city connected by bridges. The residents live in tall skyscrapers specially designed for their respective elements. The land-beings have buildings covered in lush greenery, where they grow and tend to their sprouts. The water beings can travel via water slides, and the air beings’ homes are powered by windmills.
Interestingly, the fire-beings live separately on the other side of the bridge in low buildings, each with a chimney releasing smoke from cozy homes. The reason for their separation could be to prevent the air beings from evaporating, protect the land beings’ trees and plants from getting burned, or keep the water beings from accidentally extinguishing their flames.
The movie not only introduces us to the various elements but also shows how they interact with one another, providing a glimpse into the potential storyline of the film. It appears that the movie will explore how these different elements coexist and find harmony in their unique city.
In the trailer, there are several interesting interactions between the different beings of Element City. When a water-being sneezes, it causes a land being’s grass to grow. An air-being excitedly smells flowers growing from a land-being’s armpit, but a cautious land-being with a wooden nose pulls her child away from Ember, who emits heat. Similarly, when Ember passes by an air-being, a part of his head evaporates temporarily.
When water drips from Wade’s hand while he tries to help Ember, it sizzles, causing her to say “Ow” in pain. Ember appears to be the only fire-being on the train, and she wears a coat made of heat-resistant material, possibly to protect the other residents from her intense heat.
The trailer suggests that Ember’s struggle to navigate the city and build relationships with its residents will be a central focus of the movie’s plot. It seems that her unique abilities and challenges will play a significant role in shaping the story and exploring how these diverse beings can coexist harmoniously in Element City.
The phrase “opposites react,” a play on “opposites attract,” appears on the screen after the main characters meet, leaving viewers curious about a possible romantic element in Elemental. Some are wondering if the tall water-being will develop feelings for the fiery flame-being. As the story unfolds, we’ll have to wait and see if things get a little (PG-rated) steamy between them as they work together to make a positive impact on their city.
Who Is in the Voice Cast of Elemental?
Wade Ripple’s character is voiced by Mamoudou Athie. Wade is described as a laid-back and easygoing person. He prefers to go with the flow and avoid making any major disruptions. When he and Ember start shaking things up in the Elemental world, he appears a bit uneasy and uncomfortable with the changes they are bringing.
In Elemental, Mamoudou Athie will take on his first-ever voice-acting role. While this may be new territory for him, audiences might recognize him from his role as Ramsay Cole in the 2022 film Jurassic World: Dominion, or as the inquisitive VHS enthusiast in the Netflix thriller series Archive 81.
Leah Lewis will voice the character of Ember Lumen in Elemental. Ember is full of energy and enthusiasm. From her rooftop home on a fire island, she looks longingly at the bustling, high-tech city across the bridge, dreaming of a world where she can move without fear.
Leah Lewis is well-known for her portrayal of the smart and lovable underdog Ellie Chu in the Netflix drama The Half of It, and she has also appeared as Georgia ‘George’ Fan in the Nancy Drew series. Elemental marks her first-ever voice acting role. However, she is already working on her next project, where she will be voicing a character named Räv in the animated adventure film The Tiger’s Apprentice. This film boasts an almost entirely Asian/Pacific Islander cast, including Sandra Oh from Killing Eve and Henry Golding from Crazy Rich Asians.
Who is Making Elemental?
Elemental, the Disney-Pixar film, will be directed by Peter Sohn, who joined Pixar in 2000. This is his first directing role, but he has worked in the art department for Finding Nemo and The Incredibles. Pete Doctor, known for writing hits like Inside Out and Up, is the executive producer, along with producer Denise Ream, who worked on Up, Cars 2, and Toy Story 4. The screenplay was written by Brenda Hsueh, who has experience in adult comedy series and previously consulted on the Disney Pixar project Turning Red.
Release Date: All We Know
Elemental is scheduled for release on June 16, 2023, and has a high chance of becoming a beloved summer family favorite.
