Pixar Returns to Cannes with "Elemental"

Pixar Animation will return to the Cannes Film Festival on closing night with the world premiere of their upcoming 27th feature “Elemental”.

Presented Out of Competition, the movie will be released in theaters on June 16 in the U.S. and on June 21 in France. 

“Elemental” is the fourth movie from Pixar Animation Studios to be presented in the Official Selection, after “Up”, “Inside Out”, and “Soul”.

The movie is set in a world where the four classic elements — fire, earth, water and air — are alive and coexist.

It is centered around two main characters, go-with-the-flow Wade and fiery Ember, who are both young adults living in the city who meets and bump heads. In spite of their differences, the two develop a connection as they realize they have deeper similarities than what’s on the outside.

Mamoudou Athie will be making his voice-acting debut in the upcoming movie as Wade with Leah Lewis set to voice Ember.

The French voice cast will be led by Adèle Exarchopoulos and Vincent Lacoste. 

“Elemental” is one of the several high-profile U.S. movies slated for this year’s Cannes, alongside Martin Scorsese’s “Killers of the Flower Moon” and “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny”.

A few movies are expected to be added to the Official Selection in the coming days. As previously announced, the 72nd edition will kick off with Maiwenn’s “Jeanne du Barry” on May 16.

"Elemental" was first announced by Pixar back in May 2022 and hails from director Peter Sohn, who has worked as a part of Pixar's art department on some of the studio's most beloved movies like "Finding Nemo" and "The Incredibles", as well as providing the voice for several of the studio's characters, including Remy's brother Emile in "Ratatouille".

The screenplay of the movie is penned by Brenda Hsueh, who has previous credits on TV productions such as "How I Met Your Mother" and "Truth Be Told".

Pete Doctor will serve as an executive producer of the movie. Sohn will also serve as a producer on the project alongside Denise Ream.

The story of Elemental was inspired by Sohn studying science as a young child.

In a statement when the movie was first announced in May, Sohn explained that the premise of the project was further inspired by his experiences growing up in New York City as the son of Korean immigrants.

“My parents emigrated from Korea in the early 1970s and built a bustling grocery store in the Bronx. We were among many families who ventured to a new land with hopes and dreams — all of us mixing into one big salad bowl of cultures, languages, and beautiful little neighborhoods. That’s what led me to ‘Elemental,” Sohn said.

This was how the idea of What if water and fire fell in love got formed.

The movie also examines Ember's journey of understanding identity and this love story.

“We’re trying to honor fire, Ember, and her parents. But fire was the hardest thing because it’s all visual effects," Sohn noted.

Sohn’s biggest challenge was finding a balance. At first, the team went for something realistic.

“She was terrifying. She had a real fire in her eyes,” Sohn disclosed.

However, too much in the other direction made her too cartoon-like. “Once we found that dictated things. The world had to have a similar caricature and brightness to it that could allow these characters to live in.”

Denise Ream, who worked with Sohn on “The Good Dinosaur,” produces the film.

“Elemental” is set to release in theaters on June 16.