The Bible is filled with captivating narratives, from the epic tales of the patriarchs to Jesus’ miraculous ministry. They not only reveal God’s character, but they also reveal what it truly means to be human, created and redeemed in His image. The best stories tell the truth about who we are.

Before its debut late last month, Disney boasted that its newest animated film, Elio, “continues Pixar’s tradition of crafting films that resonate across generations.” But even after several iterations and attempts to hook test groups, Elio earned just $21 million during its domestic opening weekend, the worst debut in Pixar history and a huge disappointment after more than $200 million was spent to make the movie.

Elio, the title character, is a space fanatic with an active imagination. He finds himself on a cosmic misadventure where he must form bonds with alien lifeforms, navigate a crisis of intergalactic proportions, and somehow discover who he is truly meant to be. But that wasn’t the original story line.

According to sources reported by The Hollywood Reporter, the movie was supposed to be centered on a queer-coded 11-year-old protagonist with subtle details that hinted at a same-sex crush. Later versions of the film softened Elio’s homosexual identity but continued making “personality” the primary driver of the storyline. For example, an early version reportedly shown to the production crew portrayed Elio collecting trash on the beach and turning it into homemade apparel. This included a pink tank top which, according to multiple insiders, was to portray the character as queer-coded and reflect original director Adrian Molina’s identity as an openly gay filmmaker.

All of the changes failed to work. After a test screening held in Arizona in the summer of 2023, the audience was asked how many of them would watch it in theaters. According to reports, “Not a single hand was raised.”

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