Pixar is returning to its form with its new animation ‘Elemental’. The acclaimed studio has released the first trailer for its upcoming 27th feature ‘Elemental’, set to release next year. Peter Sohn directed the animation who helmed Pixar’s ‘The Good Dinosaur’. Sohn noted that studying science as a young child inspired the story.
‘Elemental’ is set in a world where the four classic elements — fire, earth, water and air — are alive and coexist. The two main characters, Wade and Ember, are both young adults living in the city who meet each other and bump heads. In spite of their fundamental differences, the two develop a connection as they realize they have deeper similarities than what’s on the outside.
Decoding The Trailer Of Pixar’s ‘Elemental’
‘Elemental‘ swoops us into Element City, the dwelling place where fire, water, air, and land residents all live together, seemingly in perfect harmony—this is Pixar, not ‘Avatar: The Last Airbender‘, after all. In the teaser, one fire resident, aptly named Ember, boards the subway in her chic flame-retardant hoodie. As she moves about the car to find the perfect spot, we’re treated to a glimpse of just some of the genius ways that the animators came up with to convey the nature of the film’s concept.
There are clouds that can float past the packed train car and stand on the ceiling; anthropomorphic grass clumps that sprout weeded flowers when they raise their hands to steady themselves; fluid water puddles that lose their lipstick in their own bodies and sneeze onto plant residents sitting nearby, fertilizing them.
When Ember finally finds a spot to stand, she’s thrust by a bump in the train, her headphones knocked to the ground. Reaching down to grab them, a drop of water from another resident lands atop her hand, extinguishing part of it for just a moment. The two introduce themselves: She’s Ember, he’s Wade, and suddenly, they’ve just begun the meet-cute for their own forbidden Romeo & Juliet romance.
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More About Pixar’s Animation Starring Anthropomorphic Elements
In just a handful of seconds, Pixar has already illustrated a world of endless possibilities, as they’ve done so deftly with films like Monsters Inc. and Soul. It may be stereotypical Pixar fashion at this point to take a couple of random, everyday things and make a movie out of them, but who could care when it’s this dazzling to look at? Plus, the teaser trailer alone already conjures so many questions. What’s Element City like? Do these residents all really get along? Is there any way that Wade and Ember can fall in love, or do they have to settle with being friends?
‘Elemental‘ is director Peter Sohn’s second chance to shine after his directorial debut, ‘The Good Dinosaur‘, flew under the radar in 2017. Along for the ride are Leah Lewis and Mamoudou Athie, who lend their voices to Ember and Wade, respectively. While more plot points and voice actors are yet to be revealed, ‘Elemental’ certainly looks like it’s the latest in Pixar’s return to form, after films like ‘Turning Red‘ and ‘Luca‘ stunned critics and audiences over the last couple of years. We’ll know for sure when ‘Elemental‘ continues that pattern when the film releases in theaters June 2023.
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