Wendi McLendon-Covey, known for her role as Gale Cumulus in Pixar’s Elemental, has addressed the reactions to the film’s box office performance. Despite a weak opening weekend gross of $29.6 million, which led some to deem it a flop, Elemental eventually soared to $496.4 million worldwide, securing its place as the tenth highest-grossing movie of 2023.
In an exclusive interview with Screen Rant, McLendon-Covey expressed frustration with the industry’s tendency to prematurely label projects based on their opening weekend performance:
“I mean, it was so gratifying because I’m really sick and tired of what the industry does, which is if you didn’t have the greatest opening weekend, your project was a big fat flop. No, give things room to breathe, let things sort of play out before you declare it a flop. That’s so ridiculous. So it was very satisfying, because I just love the story, and I especially love the very last scene when they have that father-daughter bow. That just gutted me. And it really irritated me to read, ‘Eh, it’s a big fat flop for Pixar.’ As time went on, and it turned out, ‘Oh, wait, this isn’t a flop, it’s actually doing pretty well.’ That was gratifying for all of us. Like, can we stop with these sensationalistic negative headlines? My god. The business is all over the place right now. Can we just like bet on things winning? Wouldn’t that be helpful?”
Elemental’s Box Office Comeback Wasn’t Unusual for 2023
As McLendon-Covey points out, the box office landscape has become increasingly unpredictable, particularly following the reopening of theaters after pandemic-induced closures. In 2023, several films experienced similar patterns of slow growth after lackluster opening weekends, defying initial expectations. Notable examples include Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, Migration, and Anyone But You, all of which saw significant box office success despite modest beginnings.
While Elemental‘s impressive turnaround may not have reached the scale of some other top-grossing films of the year, such as Oppenheimer, McLendon-Covey’s remarks highlight the importance of allowing films to find their audience over time rather than rushing to judgment based on initial box office figures.
FAQ
Why was *Elemental* initially labeled a flop despite its eventual box office success?*
The film’s weak opening weekend led some to prematurely deem it a failure, highlighting a tendency in the industry to judge projects based on early performance rather than allowing them time to grow.
How does *Elemental‘s box office performance compare to other films of 2023?
Despite its slow start, Elemental ultimately achieved considerable success, ranking as the tenth highest-grossing movie of the year with a worldwide total of $496.4 million.