Disney and Pixar’s latest animated venture, Elemental, is heading to Disney+ less than 90 days after its cinematic release.
Elemental initially flopped with one of the worst opening weekends in Pixar history. However, in a surprising rebound, it ended up grossing $153.6 million domestically and $480 million globally in 11 weeks. Now it’s among the top 10-grossing films worldwide in 2023. Not too shabby, eh?
Select theaters are still airing the fiery rom-com, but if you’d rather kick it on the couch, listen up — here’s how to watch Elemental at home.
Is Elemental worth watching?
As Mashable’s Entertainment Reporter Belen Edwards wrote in her review, Elemental is overall “a charming journey to a new world, grounded by a love story you can’t help but root for.” It’s undeniably stimulating, with “watery walkways, soaring tree towers, and endlessly inventive ways for the elemental citizens to live together” in the colorful place that is Element City. But the exchanges between the lead characters, Ember and Wade, are where the flick particularly shines.
Ember Lumen (voiced by Leah Lewis) is a fireball — literally and figuratively — living in Element City and working at her family’s shop. A nasty leak threatens to close down the shop, but she teams up with City Inspector Wade Ripple (voiced by Mamoudou Athie), a water droplet, to keep the shop afloat. It’s an adorable love story that answers the age old question: do opposites attract? And as Edwards said, it’s one of Pixar’s “most beautiful, immersive, and technically impressive worlds yet.”
Get a glimpse into the stunning visuals in the official trailer below.
When is Elemental coming to Disney+?
Elemental — as well as the making-of documentary Good Chemistry: The Story of Elemental — hits Disney+ worldwide on Sept. 13, just 89 days after the official theatrical release. Already a Disney+ subscriber? You’re good to go. Simply watch as the film slides its way onto your screen on Sept. 13. If you’re not already a subscriber, then you have a unique opportunity to sign up for the streamer for a steal. Check out the best options below.
Can I watch Disney+ for free?
If you’re looking for a freebie to watch Elemental, I have good news and bad news. The good news is there are a couple ways to score a Disney+ subscription for no cost; the bad news is only a handful of people will qualify. Fortunately, though, Disney is offering everyone else a way to secure a subscription for cheap with a three-month deal available through Sept. 20 — just in time for the streaming premiere of both Elemental and The Little Mermaid.
Best Disney+ deal for most people
Disney+ is currently running a rare deal through Sept. 20 that allows new and eligible returning subscribers to sign up for Disney+ Basic (with ads) for 75% off. Rather than paying $7.99/month, new users will pay just $1.99/month for their first three months — that’s $6/month in savings. After the initial three months, Disney+ Basic will auto-renew at the regular retail price of $7.99/month unless you cancel ahead of time. Three months is plenty of time to watch Elemental as many times as you want, plus tune into the making-of documentary Good Chemistry: The Story of Elemental and the charming Pixar Animation Studios short “Carl’s Date,” which will all be released on Disney+ the same day.
If you prefer an ad-free viewing experience, you’ll have to fork over the full $10.99/month fee. If you do choose this route, it’s also worth noting that as of Oct. 12, the Premium ad-free experience will increase to $13.99/month.
Best Disney+ bundle deal
The Disney+ bundle remains one of the best deals in the streaming-verse. If you already have Hulu, you might as well bundle it with Disney+ for an extra $2/month to expand your viewing library and watch Elemental and other Pixar flicks. You’ll have to endure some short ad breaks while you enjoy your content, but for under $10/month for both services, it’s worth the few minutes of suffering. Just use those few minutes for bathroom and snack breaks.
Best Disney+ free trial
Verizon Fios home internet users can score one of the best free trials you’ll find on the web. Depending on your plan, you can get either six or 12 months of Disney+ Premium (no ads) for free. If you’re on the 2 Gig Streaming or 2 Gig Complete Package, you can get an entire year included for free. If you’re on the 1 Gig Streaming or 1 Gig Complete Package, you can snag six months for free, which is still an excellent and deal and gives you plenty of time to watch Elemental and other Disney gems. Check your plan and learn more about eligibility and how to sign up below.
Best Disney+ free trial runner-up
Verizon Wireless customers can also score six free months of Disney+ Premium (no ads) with an eligible plan. The catch is that most of the eligible plans are no longer available to add to your account, so only those who previously signed up can get in on the deal. Eligible accounts include the following:
5G Do More
5G Start
Welcome Unlimited
One Unlimited for iPhone
Get More Unlimited
Do More Unlimited
Play More Unlimited
Those on the 5G Get More or 5G Play More plan are eligible to get the Disney Bundle (a $9.99/month value) included for no extra charge. For more information and to check your eligibility, head over to the Verizon website. Note: the Disney promo through Verizon is only available through midnight on Nov. 17.
Best free Disney+ deal
A little more straightforward, the Disney+ promo through Total by Verizon gives you Disney+ Premium (no ads) for free as long as you’re on the $60/month prepaid unlimited plan. If you cancel or switch plans, the free subscription ends. It’s as simple as that. If you’re on the $50/month prepaid unlimited plan, you can also score six months of Disney+ for free. That still gives you time to check out Elemental and other new releases. Just note that this plan is only available with active service for six consecutive months.
Other ways to watch Elemental at home
If you’d rather dodge signing up for another streaming service and own the film instead, you can check out the Elemental digital release. The film has been available for purchase on digital retailers such as Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV+ since Aug. 15. And if you prefer a physical copy, you can snag it on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and DVD starting on Sept. 26. Stay tuned for rental details as well.
What makes the digital release appealing over a Disney+ subscription is the exclusive bonus features like behind-the-scenes footage, deleted scenes, and featurettes.
Here are the best digital platforms for purchasing the film.
What are the bonus features?
While the bonus features vary by product and retailer, the following are included in some capacity.
Short Film
Carl’s Date — This new short film, which opened in front of Elemental in theaters, was written and directed by Bob Peterson and produced by Kim Collins. Carl Fredricksen (the protagonist of Up) agrees to go on a date, but has no idea how dating works in modern times. Fortunately, his friend Dug, the golden retriever, offers up some tips.
Featurettes
Ember and Wade – Dive deeper into the character development of Ember and Wade, from early design ideas to final effects and the complexity of what it takes to bring them to life.
Next Stop: Element City – An exploration of all that is Element City, from its inhabitants to the research that inspired it.
Paths to Pixar: The Immigrant Experience – Discover how Elemental‘s real-world immigration themes reflect or diverge from first-generation filmmakers on the crew’s own lived experiences.
Deleted Scenes
Sneak a peek at five scenes that are illustrated, set to music, timed, and voiced, yet not included in the final version of Elemental.
Intro Ember – An alternate opening, introduced by director Peter Sohn.
Mom Rejects Wade – A scene introduced by story supervisor Jason Katz where Ember’s traditional parents react to her relationship with Wade.
Dante Challenge – Story artist Nira Liu introduces a scene in which Bernie tasks Ember with finding a place to live for newcomer Dante.
Brook Dinner – Introduced by story artist Anna Benedict, this scene showcases an abandoned storyline in which Wade’s mother acts as the villain.
Beach Proposal – A tender marriage proposal between Ember and Wade on the beach, introduced by story artists Yung-Han Chang and Le Tang.
Audio Commentary
Elementary Filmmaker Commentary – Listen as director Peter Sohn, visual effects supervisor Sanjay Bakshi, supervising animator Mike Venturini, and directing animator Gwendelyn Enderoglu offer behind-the-scenes insights into the fiery animated feature as you watch.
