Disney previewed Pixar’s 20 minutes Elementary on Wednesday at CinemaCon, ahead of its world premiere on May 27 in Cannes and its theatrical release on June 16.
Directed by Peter Sohn (The good dinosaur), produced by Denise Ream and exec produced by Pete Docter, Elementary is set in Element City, where denizens of fire, water, land and air live together. The themes include connection and finding your place in the world.
The story follows Ember, a tough, witty, and fiery young woman whose friendship with a juicy, go-with-the-flow man 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 images, shown in 3D, begin as various elements arrive in Element City by boat and submarine. Upon arrival, Ember’s parents find a room to rent and welcome a baby Ember into the world. They open a shop known as The Fireplace in the part of town populated by firefighters.
Fast-forward a few years: Ember is now a young woman, still working at the store and hoping to gain her father’s trust so she can run the business. Meanwhile, an ardent matchmaker worries that Ember will lead a loveless life. One day, Ember tries to prove she is ready to run the business, but loses her cool, a pipe bursts, and Wade arrives. Wade, an inspector, threatens to shut down the company due to the faulty lead, and Ember leaves for other parts of Element City to stop him before he reaches City Hall.
The voice cast includes Ronnie del Carmen as Bernie, Ember’s soon-to-be-retired father; Shila Ommi as Ember’s love-seeking mother, Cinder; Wendi McLendon-Covey as Wade’s tempestuous boss, Gale; Catherine O’Hara as Wade’s mother, Brook; Mason Wertheimer as Ember’s neighbor, Clod; and Joe Pera as the 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.
