Alien Worlds and Emotional Highs: How the Filmmakers Behind "Elio" Brought the Story to the Screen

Pixar is no stranger to pushing storytelling boundaries, but with Elio (their upcoming sci-fi feature slated for a June 20th, 2025 release), they’re launching into uncharted territory—both narratively and visually. The film centers on an 11-year-old alien enthusiast who finds himself accidentally beamed into an intergalactic assembly known as the Communiverse and mistaken as Earth's ambassador. What follows is a dazzling, deeply personal journey of self-discovery… with creatures from across the galaxy.

I had the chance to sit down with directors Domee Shi and Madeline Sharafian, producer Mary Alice Drumm, and Elio himself, Yonas Kibreab, to explore the emotional and technical universe behind this star-bound story.

While Lightyear and WALL-E helped establish Pixar’s sci-fi credentials, Elio offered the team the chance to create something visually and thematically distinct. Producer Mary Alice Drumm revealed that the production team made a conscious effort to break from the “classic sci-fi" mold. “Pixar has made two other sci-fi movies which are amazing—Lightyear and WALL-E," Drumm said. “But one thing Harley [Jessup, designer] and Adrian [Molina, original director] and we all talked about early on was: could we create a space we’ve never seen before?"

Older sci-fi often relied on practical limitations—“a guy in a suit," as Drumm puts it—but Elio embraced the limitless possibilities of animation. “We tried to lean away from bipedal designs and explore all kinds of different aliens and how they moved," she explained. “There’s still a tremendous amount of different rigs, but we think it really adds to the richness of the Communiverse."

The scope was ambitious, but the Pixar team—well-versed in world-building—was up to the task. “The set for the Communiverse was one of the largest we’ve built," Drumm noted. “Our teams are so amazing, and they pushed the boundaries technically and creatively."

Director Domee Shi brought her emotionally nuanced storytelling style, honed in Turning Red and “Bao," to a new genre. “I’ve never done a sci-fi movie before," she said. “I love the genre—I love sci-fi horror—so it was really exciting to play in this new sandbox."

Working alongside co-director Madeline Sharafian (“Burrow"), Shi emphasized that teamwork was at the core of the process. “We inherited an amazing kind of world from Adrian Molina, the original director," she shared. “It’s teamwork, man. Mary Alice, our amazing producer, and writers like Julia Cho and Mike Jones—who worked on Soul and Coco—were all just riffing in the story room."

“When we put work up in the edit room, we’d ask ourselves, ‘Do I care? Am I moved? Am I laughing?’ If the answer was no, then we knew we had to go back and fix it," Shi explained.

This iterative, ego-free process helped ensure the film hit on every emotional level.

Although Elio soars through cosmic worlds, it still keeps at least partially planted in reality. For co-director Madeline Sharafian, that grounding was essential—and deeply personal. “Pixar movies have always had that balance," she said. “One foot in reality and one foot in the fantastic. I think that’s what sets Pixar apart."

One of the most poignant real-world inspirations came from the Voyager probe and Carl Sagan’s Cosmos, both of which helped define Elio’s personality. “When we were researching what Elio would care about, what he’d read and listen to, Carl Sagan came up immediately," Sharafian said. “He totally watched Cosmos."

The metaphor between the lonely spacecraft and the lonely boy quickly became central to the story. “Voyager is this little craft pinging signals into the void, just waiting to be found," she continued. “And we were like, ‘Oh my God—that’s him. That’s Elio.’"

Even the visuals reflected that connection. “We told Derek Williams, our layout DP, to shoot Voyager like a character—pull back and make it feel small and vulnerable out there on its own," she said.

At the heart of Elio is a breakout performance by Yonas Kibreab, who not only gives the title character his voice but also shares a kindred spirit with him. “Elio is almost like me in a lot of ways," Kibreab reflected. “I felt what he was going through."

While the emotional range was demanding, Kibreab found comfort in the support of Shi and Sharafian. “They give such great directions. Even if something doesn’t make sense at first, they find a way to make it click," he said. “Then I can deliver a take they’re happy with—it’s such a great dynamic."

Outside the booth, Kibreab’s experience was just as memorable. He recalled his first visit to Walt Disney World for the Cool Kids Summer campaign, calling it “super exciting." “It was my first time at Disney World. I went on some crazy rides, met my co-stars, saw Zoe [Saldaña] again, and finally met Remy [Edgerly, the voice of Glordon]," he beamed.

He also shared a spooky surprise from his time in Emeryville. “We stayed at this hotel that people said was haunted," he laughed. “I didn’t see anything, but there were some strange sounds… a lot of beeping."

Now that the film is about to hit theaters, Kibreab is still wrapping his head around what it means to be a Pixar star. “It’s a pinch-me moment," he said. “I grew up watching Pixar movies—and I still do. I rewatch them all the time and always find something new." He believes Elio will follow in those footsteps. “You’ll probably have to watch Elio twice," he smiled. “There’s so much packed in. I know I missed a lot the first time!"

Elio lands in theaters June 20, 2025.