Pixar Spotlights ‘Elemental,’ ‘Elio,’ ‘Win or Lose’ & ‘Inside Out 2’ at D23

 Pixar’s CCO Pete Docter several new looks and lots of juicy details about the acclaimed Emeryville-based studio’s upcoming slate at the D23 Expo in Anaheim on Friday.

“These last few years have been a time of great change in the world,” said Docter. “And it’s led us at Pixar to think about the future. Or, if I’m channeling my inner Joe from Soul, I’d ask: ‘Why are we here? What’s our purpose?’ Well, for us, it’s to tell great animated stories. Whether those are theatrical feature films, streaming series or shorts, we think telling stories is foundational to who we are as people. They really define us. And we believe in the power of animation to capture and reflect the stories of our own lives.”

• First up, director Peter Sohn (The Good Dinosaur, Partly Cloudy) and producer Denise Ream  (The Good Dinosaur, Toy Story 4) joined Docter on stage to offer more details about Elemental, the new original feature releasing on June 16, 2023. Sohn, who directs the film, shared the personal inspiration behind the film—a story of immigrants pursuing dreams in beautiful neighborhoods where language and cultures come together. Filmmakers introduced the characters in Elemental, which is set in a city where fire-, water-, land- and air-residents live together. Ember is a tough and fiery young woman, and Wade is a fun, sappy, go-with-the-flow guy. Helping bring them to life are Leah Lewis and Mamoudou Athie, who were warmly welcomed to the Hall D23 stage. Audience members got an exclusive look at the film and received a mini-poster featuring Ember and Wade.

  

• Win or Lose directors Carrie Hobson and Michael Yates provided a closer look at Pixar’s first-ever long-form series and what inspired it. “Win or Lose” follows the Pickles, a co-ed middle school softball team, in the week leading up to their championship game. Each episode takes place that same week, highlighting the perspective of a different main character—players, their parents, the umpire—each reflected in a unique visual style. Hobson and Yates revealed that Will Forte will voice Coach Dan in the series, and shared a shout-out Forte recorded for the occasion, followed by a special clip just for fans. Win or Lose streams on Disney+ in the fall of 2023.

  

• Following flickering lights and an ominous message reading “Bring Us Your Leader,” Docter welcomed to the stage director Adrian Molina and producer Mary Alice Drumm to showcase for the first time ever plans for the original feature film Elio.  In the story, 11-year-old dreamer Elio is artistic, creative and an avid INdoorsman who finds it hard to fit in. Meanwhile Mom Olga, who runs a top-secret military project, is working to decode a strange signal from outer space. But it’s Elio who makes contact, gets beamed into space and is subsequently mistaken for an intergalactic Ambassador for Earth. The voice of smart and super-confident Olga, America Ferrera, joined Yonas Kibreab, who lends his voice to Elio himself. Kibreab revealed to the audience that Elio will be released in the spring of 2024.

  

• Docter wrapped up the Pixar presentation by telling audiences that he was hearing a voice from inside his head. As it turned out, the voice belonged to Amy Poehler aka Joy, who arrived on stage to huge applause and informed the audience that Inside Out 2 in the works at Pixar. Director Kelsey Mann, producer Mark Nielsen and writer Meg LeFauve currently working on the work on the all-new adventure inside the head of now-teenager Riley—who may or may not be feeling all kinds of new Emotions. “Inside Out 2,” the follow-up to 2015’s Oscar-winning feature film, will be released in the  summer 2024.