Pixar, the animation studio known for a movie about a quartet of anthropomorphic emotions living inside a child’s mind, has released the full trailer for their upcoming film, Elemental, an animated film about anthropomorphic elements that raises a whole lot of questions. This new look at the film answers some of those questions and raises others, all while offering viewers a dazzling glimpse of Elemental’s world and characters.
Set in a glittering metropolis where the four elements (Water, Earth, Fire, Air) live side-by-side in apparent harmony as human-shaped avatars for some reason, Pixar and director Peter Sohn’s (The Good Dinosaur) next big imaginative feature centers on Ember (Leah Lewis), a “fiery” young fire elemental who inadvertently crosses paths with Wade, an oafish yet lovable water elemental with a fun-loving personality. Befriending each other, and pushing each other outside of their respective comfort zones, the two eventually (presumably) fall in love. But there’s a big problem: Ember’s hot-headed father Bernie doesn’t seem to approve of their relationship, because elements don’t mix in this society. Which just raises even further questions!
It’s admittedly a wacky and weird premise for a star-crossed love story that reads like an coded allegory for interracial relationships and de facto segregation. What’s not questionable, though, is the film’s visual style, with each scene in this trailer bursting at the seams with color and personality as Ember and Wade race through Element City in search of adventure. There’s even a cheeky moment where the pair walk through a chainlink fence before wondering aloud why anyone even bothers to build such a fence. Oh, Pixar; you and your self-aware gags poking fun at the blind spots of your own world-building!
Elemental hits theaters on June 16, 2023.
