Elemental: Disney defends Pixar’s latest feature after misleading reports about the film’s underperformance

There appear to be some misconceptions about the box office returns for Disney and Pixar‘s Elemental. The emotional animated feature is entering its seventh week in theaters, and according to Disney, it’s a significant success for the studio. The numbers don’t lie, and Elemental is burning brightly with $425.2M in worldwide receipts. Elemental might have started slowly with a $29.5M domestic debut, but it’s picked up steam in the weeks since.

If you’re asking yourself how the film could endure after a disappointing start, look no further than its 93% Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes and “A” grade on CinemaScore. Metrics matter to general audiences, and these sites could have boosted people’s confidence in shelling out dollars for tickets to the show. There’s something to be said for positive word of mouth too. Elemental reviewed well with most critics, including JoBlo’s own Chris Bumbray, who said Elemental is well worth a watch on the big screen, especially in its immersive 3D format. Chris also notes that Carl’s Date, the short epilogue to Up that plays before the movie, is worth the price of admission.

“After a disappointing opening weekend, we’re really pleased that audiences have discovered what a great movie it is,” said Tony Chambers, Disney’s EVP of Theatrical Distribution. “Recently it’s been more challenging for original animated and live-action IP to break through, but you can’t create a franchise without taking a swing, and no other studio has taken more swings than Disney.”

Here’s the official synopsis for Elemental:

Elemental is an original feature film set in Element City, where residents of Fire, Water, Earth, and Air live together. The story introduces Ember, a tough, quick-witted, and fiery young woman whose friendship with a fun, sappy, go-with-the-flow guy named Wade challenges her beliefs about the world they live in. Directed by Peter Sohn (“The Good Dinosaur,” “Partly Cloudy” short) and produced by Denise Ream (“The Good Dinosaur,” “Cars 2”), “Elemental” features a screenplay by John Hoberg & Kat Likkel, and Brenda Hsueh. Leah Lewis and Mamoudou Athie star as the voices of Ember and Wade, respectively.

If you missed Elemental in theaters, worry not! The film is heading to the home marker sooner than you think! Elemental debuts on all major digital platforms (Apple TV, Prime Video, Vudu, etc.) August 15 and on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and DVD September 26.