Fire and water might be the perfect pair in Pixar’s newest movie, “Elemental.” The feel-good animated feature, starring Leah Lewis, Mamoudou Athie, and “Schitt’s Creek“‘s Catherine O’Hara, tells the story of Ember, a girl made of fire who lives in Element City. There, people made of fire, water, air, and land all live together, but fire people are considered too different from everyone else. But then Ember meets Wade, a man made of water, and everything changes for them as they form an adorable romance and try to find a way to coexist in a city that’s stacked against them.
Disney and Pixar released the movie’s teaser trailer in November 2022, followed by the first full trailer on March 28. The trailers offered early looks at life in Elemental City – earth people blooming at random moments, air people floating to the end of the bus, and water people doing their best to keep from sloshing all over the place.
Ahead, read everything we know about “Elemental,” including the cast.
Related: Meet Pixar’s “Elemental”‘s Ember in This Exclusive Clip
Disney / Pixar
"Elemental" Plot
“Elemental” follows two characters, Ember and Wade, as they navigate living in a city surrounded by characters of conflicting elements: land, fire, water, and air. The two couldn’t be more different – Ember’s sign is fire, while Wade’s is water – but they soon discover that they have more in common than they thought. Disney describes Ember as “tough, quick-witted and fiery,” while Wade is “a fun, sappy, go-with-the-flow guy.” Ember and other people made of fire are outsiders in the city, which is dominated by water, air, and land people. The film seems to tease an adorable romance between Ember and Wade.
Disney / Pixar
"Elemental" Cast
Leah Lewis voices Ember and Mamoudou Athie voices Wade. Lewis is best known for her starring role in 2020’s “The Half of It” and George in the CW’s “Nancy Drew.” Athie starred in 2020’s “Black Box” and the Facebook Watch series “Sorry For Your Loss.”
Disney announced additional voice cast on March 28. O’Hara voices Wade’s mom, Brook. Ronnie del Carmen is Ember’s soon-to-be retired dad, Bernie. Shila Ommi is Ember’s mom, Cinder. “Bridesmaids”‘s Wendi McLendon-Covey is Wade’s airy boss, Gale. Mason Wertheimer is Ember’s earthy neighbor Clod, and Joe Pera is Fern.
Disney / Pixar
"Elemental" Release Date
“Elemental” was released in theaters on June 16.
Getty / Amanda Edwards
"Elemental" True Story
“Elemental” director Peter Sohn, known for directing Pixar’s 2015 film, “The Good Dinosaur,” said in a May 2022 statement that the inspiration for “Elemental” came from his own experience growing up in New York. “My parents emigrated from Korea in the early 1970s and built a bustling grocery store in the Bronx,” he said (via Deadline). “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.'”
Disney / Pixar
When Will "Elemental" Stream on Disney+?
Disney has yet to announce when “Elemental” will stream on Disney+, but we can use history to figure out a general timeline. One of the most recent Disney animated films, “Strange World” was released in theaters on November 23, 2022. It began streaming on Disney+ just a month later. Similarly, 2021’s “Encanto” made its way to Disney+ a month after it was released. In August 2022, Pixar’s “Lightyear” premiered on Disney+ about 45 days after its original release.
So it seems “Elemental” will stream on Disney+ somewhere between 30 and 45 days from now. That puts the expected streaming release at either mid-July or early August.
