Disney-Pixar’s ‘Elemental,’ 2023’s most viewed film premiere on Disney+

Disney and Pixar’s “Elemental” made its streaming debut in a spectacular fashion as the most-watched movie premiere of the year on the streaming platform Disney+.

Moreover, “Elemental” ranks among the platform’s top 10 movie premieres of all time. Within its initial five days of streaming, it garnered an impressive 26.4 million views.

Directed by Peter Sohn, produced by Denise Ream, and executive produced by Pete Docter, this original feature film unfolds in Element City, where residents of Fire, Water, Earth, and Air coexist. The narrative centers around Ember, a sharp-witted and passionate character voiced by Leah Lewis, whose friendship with the laid-back and easygoing Wade, voiced by Mamoudou Athie, not only challenges her beliefs about their world but also her own identity.

During its first five days on Disney+, “Elemental” has become the most-viewed animated movie premiere since the release of Disney and Pixar’s “Turning Red” in March 2022. It also holds the distinction of being the most-viewed Disney+ movie premiere of all time in Latin America, surpassing “Turning Red.”

Released in June, the film achieved significant success in theaters, grossing $484 million worldwide and boasting a Rotten Tomatoes Verified Audience Score of 93%, along with an “A” CinemaScore. In the United States, it generated $154 million, surpassing its domestic opening weekend earnings of $30 million, a remarkable accomplishment for any theatrical release and the second-highest multiple after Disney and Pixar’s “Toy Story” (1995). Internationally, the film earned $330 million and performed exceptionally well in South Korea, becoming Pixar’s most-watched film in the country.

The screenplay for “Elemental” was crafted by John Hoberg & Kat Likkel and Brenda Hsueh, with the story developed by Sohn, Hoberg & Likkel, and Hsueh. The film’s voice cast includes Ronnie del Carmen, Shila Ommi, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Catherine O’Hara, Mason Wertheimer, and Joe Pera.

*A view is defined as total stream time divided by runtime.