Pixar is about to launch audiences into a galaxy of imagination with its upcoming animated feature, Elio—a heartwarming, otherworldly misfit story that’s bursting with color, curiosity, and classic Pixar charm. Set to premiere in theaters on June 20th, 2025, Elio is already making headlines for more than just its intergalactic plot.
In fact, eagle-eyed fans have spotted a subtle but brilliant Inside Out Easter egg tucked within the final trailer, proving that Pixar hasn’t lost its signature touch when it comes to interconnecting emotional universes—literally.
The Easter Egg That Has Everyone Talking
The trailer opens with Zoe Saldaña’s Aunt Olga flipping through a parenting book titled Parenting Your Spirited Child—a sly nod to any parent trying to decode their kid’s inner world. She then shows young Elio a page of color-coded expressions and asks him to pick how he’s feeling. If those colors look familiar, there’s a reason. Pixar has cleverly matched several facial expressions to the emotional palette from Inside Out:
- Happy/Yellow = Joy
- Sad/Blue = Sadness
- Angry/Red = Anger
But it doesn’t stop there. Fans were quick to point out near-matches for other iconic emotions:
- Sick/Green = Disgust
- Stressed/Purple = Fear
- Overwhelmed/Orange = Anxiety (who is set to debut in Inside Out 2)
This creative crossover not only teases Pixar’s growing emotional multiverse but subtly anchors Elio in the same psychologically rich soil that made Inside Out a cultural landmark. It’s a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moment—but one that speaks volumes to devoted Pixar fans.
Who Is Elio?
At its core, Elio is a tale about finding connection when you feel like the ultimate outsider.
“For centuries, people have called out to the universe looking for answers — in Disney and Pixar’s all-new feature film Elio, the universe calls back!”
The film introduces Elio Solis, a young, imaginative space fanatic who accidentally gets beamed up into the Communiverse—a galaxy-spanning diplomatic coalition—and is mistaken for Earth’s ambassador. Talk about being thrown into the deep end.
Voiced by rising talent Yonas Kibreab, whose credits include Merry Little Batman, Sweet Tooth, and Obi-Wan Kenobi, Elio embarks on a cosmic coming-of-age quest. Through alien negotiations, identity crises, and starry encounters, he must answer the biggest question of all: Who am I, really?
A Galaxy Of Talent
The voice cast is truly stellar, featuring: Zoe Saldaña as Aunt Olga (a reworked version of a role originally voiced by America Ferrera), Brad Garrett as Lord Grigon, Jameela Jamil as Ambassador Questa, Shirley Henderson as the quirky OOOOO, Remy Edgerly, Matthias Schweighöfer, Naomi Watanabe, Brandon Moon, and more
This marks Pixar’s 29th feature film, and Elio is the only release scheduled for 2025. But fans won’t have to wait too long for more animation magic: 2026 brings two new films—Hoppers, an original tale, and Toy Story 5, which reunites Tim Allen and Tom Hanks with newcomers like Conan O’Brien and Ernie Hudson.
Why Elio Is The One To Watch
With its blend of emotion, sci-fi spectacle, cultural richness, and witty storytelling, Elio feels like a return to the emotionally intelligent Pixar storytelling that made audiences laugh, cry, and reflect for decades. If Inside Out took us deep into the mind, Elio takes us light-years beyond it—exploring how identity, belonging, and courage collide across the stars.
Nonetheless, Elio opens in theaters on June 20th, 2025. Don’t miss the misfit turned messenger who might just speak for all of Earth. And if you haven’t caught that Easter egg yet—rewatch the trailer. Pixar’s hiding galaxies in the smallest details.