Elemental (2023)
12-month trend
12-month trend
Monthly article views
2025-09 to 2026-08
A fire element and a water element must navigate their differences to save a family business.
The story
In a world inhabited by anthropomorphic elements of nature, fire element Ember Lumen and water element Wade Ripple find themselves in an unexpected partnership. After a mishap at her family's convenience store, Ember is forced to work with Wade, a city inspector, to resolve a plumbing issue. As they navigate the city together to find the source of a leak, they must overcome the physical and cultural barriers between their respective elements while trying to save the store from being shut down.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Following a catastrophic storm, fire elements Bernie and Cinder Lumen move to Element City. Their daughter, Ember, struggles to control her temper while preparing to take over the family store, the Fireplace. When a pipe bursts, she is forced to work with Wade Ripple, a water element city inspector. Together, they travel through the city to find a leak in the dam. During their journey, they develop feelings for one another, eventually discovering they can touch without harm. After a series of events including a flood and a moment where Wade is trapped in a high-heat area, Ember confesses her love for him. The film ends with Bernie retiring, the store being run by friends, and Ember and Wade starting a new life together as Ember pursues a glass-making career.
- First release year
- 2023
- Runtime (minutes)
- 101
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Peter Sohn
- Writers
- John Hoberg · screenplay; Kat Likkel · screenplay; Brenda Hsueh · screenplay; Peter Sohn · story; John Hoberg · story; Kat Likkel · story; Brenda Hsueh · story
- Cast and characters
- Leah Lewis · Ember Lumen; Mamoudou Athie · Wade Ripple; Ronnie del Carmen · Bernie; Shila Ommi · Cinder; Wendi McLendon-Covey · Gale Cumulus; Catherine O'Hara · Brook Ripple
- Genres
- animated; romantic comedy-drama
- Themes
- identity and belonging; cultural diversity; sacrifice; overcoming prejudice
- Tone and mood
- romantic; heartfelt
- Premise and plot tags
- fantasy; romance; animation; cultural clash
- Reception
- The film was a sleeper hit with mixed to positive reviews. Critics praised the visuals and world-building but were divided on the script. It was well-received by audiences and performed well in international markets like South Korea.
- Reported review scores
- Metacritic · score: 58 · scale: 100 · review count: 45; CinemaScore · score: A · scale: A+ to F; PostTrak · score: 85% · scale: percentage · review count: filmgoers
- Awards and nominations
- Academy Award · Best Animated Feature · Nominated; Golden Globe Award · Best Animated Feature Film · Nominated
- Production trivia
- The film's development lasted seven years.; The production used over 151,000 cores for animation.; The film is dedicated to four Pixar staff members who died in 2022.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
Your lists
Loading your lists…