Elio Recut: Pixar Drops LGBTQ Plot Points to Keep the Film Focused
Pete Docter told the Wall Street Journal that Pixar overhauled 2025’s Elio after weak early screenings, removing the film’s LGBTQ elements—including a gay crush and a pink bike scene—because “we’re making a movie, not hundreds of millions of dollars of therapy.” The reshuffle led to the exit of director Adrian Molina and was completed by Madeline Sharafian and Domee Shi, sparking internal backlash. Elio ended up earning about $150 million worldwide on a production budget of roughly $150 million (not counting marketing). This move follows Disney’s earlier decision to cut a transgender character from the series Win or Lose.
