In 2023, we're very lucky to be able to get so much content from the comfort of our own homes. But it's a blessing and a curse, as Pixar exec Pete Docter has shared.

Variety recently interviewed Docter, and in this interview, he talked about a variety of topics including the negative reviews of Elemental at Cannes. He also discussed the ripple effects of having something like Disney+ at their disposal.

“We made Soul for the big screen. We looked at every frame. There’s so much detail and gorgeous imagery and work that was done that you can’t quite appreciate on a smaller screen. However, there was a pandemic going on. On one hand, we were so thankful that there was Disney+ so that we could release the film and people could see it. Otherwise, it would just sit on a shelf for a year and a half,” Docter said.

He continued by talking about how Disney+ is a “mixed blessing, “In the long run, there’s been a bit of a mixed blessing because we’ve trained audiences that these films will be available for you on Disney+. And it’s more expensive for a family of four to go to a theater when they know they can wait and it’ll come out on the platform.”

He concluded by once again selling Elemental as a big-screen movie and pitching it to moviegoers, saying, “We’re trying to make sure people realize there’s a great deal you’re missing by not seeing it on the big screen. In the case of Elemental, it’s a beautiful spectacle, there’s detail everywhere. I think you feel it more and it’s a better experience. There’s the shared experience as well, that you get to see it in a room with strangers, and there’s something about the energy that comes from other people that makes the whole experience more vibrant and interesting.”

Pete Docter talking about Soul is an interesting case. The film was released in December 2020, when the world was still in the midst of the pandemic. It made $121 million in overseas markets but was exclusive to Disney+ in America. Last year, Lighyear — which was technically a Disney release but Pixar was a production company — was a flop and grossed just $226 million. They're likely hoping for a turnaround with Elemental, which only grossed $2.4 million in Thursday night preview screenings.

Elemental is in theaters now.