The last original Pixar film was also a box office dud... until it wasn't, finding remarkable longevity to a nearly $500 million global run.

A bad opening weekend might not necessarily spell doom for Pixar's latest–but a pattern is emerging that might shape what's to come from the beloved animation studio.

Pixar's "Elio" has a disappointing opening weekend, earning $21 million in North America and setting a record-low debut for the studio. Competing films outperformed "Elio," despite its positive audience ratings.