Last weekend marked Pixar’s worst box-office opening — but with positive buzz and a big holiday coming up, Elio could rocket toward profitability.

Disney's animated adventure 'Elio' failed to lift off at the box office, underscoring Pixar's continued struggle to launch original films.

But since the COVID-19 pandemic, Pixar and other animation studios have struggled to break through at the box office with the same kinds of original movies that defined the industry. Instead, sequels such as “Inside Out 2” have ruled the genre.