Disney Debuts 20 Minutes of Pixar’s ‘Elemental’ at CinemaCon

Disney previewed 20 minutes of Pixar’s Elemental on Wednesday at CinemaCon, ahead of its May 27 world premiere at Cannes and June 16 theatrical release.

Directed by Peter Sohn (The Good Dinosaur), produced by Denise Ream and exec produced by Pete Docter, Elemental is set in Element City, where fire, water, land and air residents live together. Its themes include connection, celebrating differences, and finding your place in the world.

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The story follows Ember, a tough, quick-witted and fiery young woman whose friendship with a sappy, go-with-the-flow guy named Wade challenges her beliefs about the world they live in, where “elements don’t mix.” Leah Lewis is the voice of Ember; Mamoudou Athie voices Wade.

The footage, screened in 3D, begins as various elements arrive by boat and sub to Element City. On arrival, Ember’s parents find a room to rent and welcome a baby Ember into the world. They opens a shop known as The Fireplace in the part of the city populated by fire residents.

Fast-forward a few years: Ember is now a young woman, still working at the shop and hoping to earn her father’s trust so that she can run the business. Meanwhile, a fiery matchmaker worries that Ember will have a loveless life. One day, Ember tries to prove herself ready to run the business, but she loses her cool, a pipe bursts, and Wade arrives. Wade, an inspector, threatens to shut down the business due to the defective pipe, and Ember sets off to other parts of Element City to stop him before he reaches City Hall.

The voice cast includes Ronnie del Carmen as Ember’s soon-to-be-retired dad, Bernie; Shila Ommi as Ember’s love-seeking mom, Cinder; Wendi McLendon-Covey as Wade’s stormy boss, Gale; Catherine O’Hara as Wade’s mom, Brook; Mason Wertheimer as Ember’s neighbor, Clod; and Joe Pera as city bureaucrat, Fern.

Sohn directed from a screenplay by John Hoberg and Kat Likkel and Brenda Hsueh, from a story by Sohn, Hoberg & Likkel and Hsueh.

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