Pixar’s latest film, Elementary, is a great achievement. In true Pixar style, the story features an emotional narrative about the relationships between likable characters and hidden truths about real life. Elementary shows a city where the inhabitants of fire, water, earth and air live in harmony. A fire dweller and a water dweller meet and form a bond, and throughout the film they explore what they have in common. Critics say wonderful things about Elementary, and it might just be an instant animated classic. Many ideas were tossed around in the making of the film, which included a villain named Drip, according to the director.
Director Peter Sohn and producer Denise Ream recently sat down with CinemaBlend to discuss Disney’s latest animated film. During the chat, the duo explained that in the original concept of the film, there were quite a few different ideas and different characters that the animators discussed. One of these characters was Drip, a villain in the Elementary universe. Drip was ultimately cut from the final product, and Sohn explained the reason for the removal, telling us:
This movie took so many different versions, you know? We had a villain named Drip who was trying to take over the city. And when we showed that version, everyone said, “Oh, we’re missing the connection between fire and water.
The charming relationship between the fire-dweller Ember and the water-dweller Wade is at the core of this film, so it makes sense why the director felt the villain was distracting from what the film was really about. Without this villain, the filmmakers could have spent more time fleshing out the relationship and deepening the audience’s attention to the central storyline. Going through the motions of developing different ideas and characters is a big part of finding the best possible story, and I’m glad they stuck with the version they did.
It was a very personal story for Son, who based many parts of it on his family’s history from when he emigrated from Korea. When a story is so personal, there’s an even deeper incentive to get it right. Having settled on a story about the elements, the Pixar director had his own concerns about the possibilities of animation and proper character design. Based on the trailers and early reactions, the animation team did a fantastic job with the characters capturing the elements perfectly. Admittedly, though, I’m interested in what Drip looked like.
While going through the development process can be tedious, it’s all part of the fun in finding the story the filmmakers want to tell. Son is no stranger to this, having worked with Pixar since the early 2000s, working on classics like Finding Nemo, Ratatouilleand The phenomenal ones. Elementary is the second film Son has directed for Disney, having previously helmed 2015’s The good dinosaur. With another heartfelt and stunning film in the books, I can’t wait to see what Son and the rest of the Pixar team do next.
Elementary is now in theaters nationwide, so be sure to see it on the big screen while you can. Peter Sohn’s previous directorial feat, The good dinosaur, is now also available with a Disney+ subscription for animation fans who want to see it. For more information on other projects coming soon from Disney, be sure to check out our Upcoming Disney Movies article.