Box office: '28 Years Later' earns $30 million, 'Elio' has Pixar's worst debut with $21 million

'28 Years Later' opens strong, but 'Elio' marks Pixar's weakest $21 million debut, highlighting studio challenges.

: '28 Years Later' debuted second with $30 million domestically and matched with another $30 million internationally, reaching a total of $60 million. In stark contrast, Pixar's 'Elio' generated only $21 million, marking its worst debut in history, despite costing $150 million. 'How to Train Your Dragon' continued to dominate, earning $37 million in its second weekend. Despite other blockbusters, the industry anticipates upcoming releases to boost box office performance.

The weekend box office saw Danny Boyle’s zombie thriller 28 Years Later open with a solid $30 million domestically and around $60 million worldwide, matching its production budget. The film has been well received by critics, with praise for its tense atmosphere, sharp direction, and successful return to the franchise after years of anticipation.

In contrast, Pixar’s original animated film Elio had a disappointing debut, earning just $21 million in the U.S., the lowest opening for any Pixar movie. Despite international sales pushing its global total to $35 million, the performance is seen as a troubling sign for Pixar’s original IPs, continuing a trend of underperformance seen in past releases like Lightyear and Luca.

The differing performances highlight current box office trends, where known franchises and horror films continue to attract larger audiences than original animated stories. While Elio features Pixar’s trademark emotional depth and visual artistry, it failed to generate strong pre-release buzz or connect with families in its opening weekend.

Critically, Elio still holds promise. It has received an 84% approval rating from critics and 91% from audiences on Rotten Tomatoes. This has led some analysts to draw comparisons to Pixar’s Elemental, which started slow at the box office but grew to become a sleeper hit with over $490 million in global earnings.

Looking ahead, 28 Years Later is expected to maintain momentum through strong word-of-mouth and genre appeal. Meanwhile, Elio may see a second wind during the July 4th holiday period. While its debut is Pixar’s weakest, positive reception and upcoming school holidays may help it recover over time.

Sources: Variety, Deadline, The Hollywood Reporter, Box Office Mojo, IndieWire

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