An executive for Disney Pixar has sparked backlash after sharing why the studio chose to cut a queer storyline from a recent animated feature.
In a new interview, Chief Creative Officer Pete Docter explained how they come to remove the key plot point from last year’s sci-fi adventure Elio.
The film follows a young boy who embarks upon a cosmic caper when he encounters a number of fantastic alien life forms. Inspired by director Adrian Molina’s own experience growing up gay, it would have reflected his own coming-of-age.
However, with production already underway, Molina abruptly departed the project, and was replaced by directors Madeline Sharafian and Domee Shi.
As of June 2025, insiders within Pixar – a subsidiary of the Walt Disney Company – reported that moments which alluded to Elio’s sexuality were ‘constantly sanded down.’
Docter has now explained why such elements were removed from the story… provoking fresh fury from fans.
Speaking to The Wall Street Journal, Docter revealed that the company worried that some parents weren’t ready to broach the topic of homosexuality with their children.
‘We’re making a movie, not hundreds of millions of dollars of therapy,’ he told the publication.
According to insiders, earlier versions of the film had included a pink bicycle for Elio, and a scene in which he imagined raising a child with his male crush.
These were all reportedly excised from the film during the company’s overhaul of its creative direction.
‘It was pretty clear through the production of the first version of the film that [studio leaders] were constantly sanding down these moments in the film that alluded to Elio’s sexuality of being queer,’ an insider told The Hollywood Reporter last June.
In a creative shake-up, it was revealed that Molina would be moving to a then-unnamed ‘priority project’ – which we now know to be Coco 2.
Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter at the time, former Pixar assistant editor Sarah Ligatich described herself as ‘deeply saddened and aggrieved by the changes that were made.’
Ligatich, who provided feedback as a member of the company’s internal LGBTQ group PixPRIDE revealed how a number of creatives stepped down after the first cut of the film was aired.
‘The exodus of talent after that cut was really indicative of how unhappy a lot of people were that they had changed and destroyed this beautiful work,’ she added.
Docter’s comments have also inspired anger from voices on social media, including X user lyllanerd, who commented: ‘How is making a character gay therapy?’
‘He’s allowed to be autistic but not MAYBE gay?’ responded a baffled cassimiya, while WhitneyPuppy pointed out that ‘it’s not hard to tell your kids that gay people exist.’
Pointing out how easy it is to ‘explain stuff to your kids,’ JimRotVideo described the decision as ‘pathetic.’
Echoed JoniWeb99: ‘Being gay is just a normal thing what does that have to do with therapy?’
‘Didn’t Pixar create Inside Out?! That put ME into therapy,’ joked mothtoaflame13.
While Elio ultimately opened to positive critical acclaim and strong audience word of mouth, it struggled financially.
Grossing $73 million (£54 million) domestically and $81 million (£60 million) internationally, it set a record for the lowest ever opening weekend for a Pixar film.
Still, it managed to overcome its behind the scenes drama to achieve an 83% positive score from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, who related to its emotional core and resonant themes.
However, those who knew the film as originally intended are still mourning what it could – and should – have been.
Said one of the Hollywood Reporter’s insiders: ‘Suddenly, you remove this big, key piece, which is all about identity, and Elio just becomes about totally nothing.
‘The Elio that is in theaters right now is far worse than Adrian’s best version of the original.’
Metro has reached out to Disney for comment on this story.
Elio is available to stream on Disney Plus in the UK now.
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