Pixar’s charming animated film Elio has another chance to find a wider audience in a few weeks. Elio releases on 4K Blu-ray and Blu-ray September 9, and preorders for Elio’s Limited Edition Steelbook are now available for $45 at Walmart. Like other recent Disney and Pixar films, Elio’s 4K Blu-ray edition is only available with a collectible steelbook case. A standard Blu-ray edition is also up for preorder for only $25.
Elio will arrive on Blu-ray less than three months after its June theatrical debut. Disney animated films often have longer gaps between theatrical and home video releases, but Elio’s disappointing performance at the box office likely contributed to the fast turnaround. Elio received many positive reviews for critics; it’s genuinely one of the better Pixar movies in recent memory. The beautifully animated sci-fi adventure used Pixar’s new Luna lighting tech, so it should be a cool Disney movie to watch on 4K Blu-ray with HDR.
The heartfelt movie stars an 11-year-old boy who dreams of space and hanging out with aliens. When he inadvertently becomes Earth’s ambassador to an interplanetary organization, Elio’s wish becomes reality.
$45 | Releases September 9
The Steelbook Edition includes 4K Blu-ray, standard 1080p Blu-ray, and digital versions of Elio. The native 4K resolution (2160p) disc supports Dolby Vision and HDR10. You’ll have plenty of audio options, including support for multiple types of surround sound tech: Dolby Atmos, Dolby Digital Plus 7.1, and Digital 5.1 and 2.0.
The steelbook case features Elio gazing up at the colorful night sky on the front. The intergalactic artwork carries over to the back, where you’ll also find Elio’s liquid supercomputer buddy Ooooo in the middle. The interior artwork features Elio and Glordon traveling through space. The steelbook artwork was prominently featured in promotional videos and posters before Elio’s release, but the design still looks nice.
On the Blu-ray disc, you’ll find a handful of featurettes and other special features.
Elio Bonus Content
- Inside the Communiverse: The World and Characters of Elio
- Out of This World: An Astro Q&A
- Astronomic Art Class: Ooooo and Glordon
- Extraterrestrial Easter Eggs and Fun Facts
- Galactic Gag Reel
- Deleted Scenes
$25 | Releases September 9
The standard edition of Elio comes with 1080p Blu-ray, DVD, and digital versions of the movie. Notably, this edition costs five bucks less than the digital on its own–and it includes a digital copy.
You’ll get the same special features as you would with the 4K Steelbook, but you’ll miss out on 4K resolution and HDR. The audio options are different, too. The Blu-ray edition has DTS-HDMA 7.1, DTS-HDHR 5.1, and Dolby Digital 2.0.
It is worth noting, however, that the digital edition is the same regardless of which version you buy, and digital supports Dolby Atmos, Dolby Digital 7.1, and several other audio outputs.
Elio Books and Toys
If you loved Elio’s animation style and artwork, check out The Art of Elio, an official hardcover coffee table book that goes behind-the-scenes with 160 pages of commentary and production art. The Art of Elio is on sale for $34 (was $45) at Amazon. Disney also released a handful of Elio books for young readers, including a junior novelization for Grades 1-4 and an Elio Little Golden Book.
Mattel recently released a three-pack of Elio action figures with articulated joints that’s available for only $16. Collectors can also add an eight-pack of sculpted figures and an Elio and Ooooo Funko Pop to their Pixar merch shelves.
New Disney 4K Blu-ray Steelbook Editions
As mentioned, Elio is keeping with Disney’s tendency over the past couple of years to only offer 4K Blu-rays with collectible steelbook cases in the US. This probably doesn’t bother fans who collect steelbooks, but sometimes it leads to issues when stock sells out or when prices are higher than you’d expect. For instance, Pixar’s 2024 film Inside Out 2–the highest-grossing movie of 2024 and the studio’s biggest hit ever–is $68 on 4K Blu-ray. It is only the Disney 4K Steelbook that has retained such a high price.
Thankfully, all of Disney’s 4K Blu-ray releases this year have found their way down to $45 (or less). Lilo & Stitch’s live-action remake releases on 4K Blu-ray next week. Three other Disney films have received 4K Steelbook Editions over the past few months: Moana 2, Mufasa: The Lion King, and Snow White. It’s worth noting that Moana 2’s Steelbook Edition is sold out at Amazon, so fans should grab the 4K Steelbook at Walmart while you can.
Pixar Lego Sets
Lego hasn’t released any building sets themed around Elio, but Pixar fans should have September 1 circled on their calendars. Lego is launching a brand-new building set based on WALL-E. The 811-piece kit includes WALL-E, EVE, M-O, Hal, and multiple accessories. You can preorder Lego WALL-E and EVE for $70 at Amazon and the Lego Store. The new WALL-E set arrives on the heels of the nostalgic Luxo Jr. Lego display set as well as a charming Toy Story playset for young builders.
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