Elemental Has A Post-Credits Surprise (And It's Heartwarmingly Unusual)
The rise of post-credits scenes over the last decade and a half has given millions of filmgoers a reason to sit through the credits. Marvel Studios is of course the king of the post-credits scene, but Pixar often includes a special treat for devoted viewers after the credits as well. "Elemental" foregoes the usual Pixar credits and post-credits conceits like blooper reels or teases for sequels, but there is a heartwarming treasure baked into the credits from director Peter Sohn that shows just how personal the project has been for the filmmaker.
After the credits for "Elemental" comes a brief in memoriam dedication, followed by a dedication to Sohn's late parents, whose experiences as immigrants from Korea to New York City helped inspire the film's story. The dedication makes perfect sense if you've followed Sohn's own remarks on the personal stories that inspired "Elemental," and it adds another poignant emotional layer to the film.
Director Peter Sohn has said the story of Elemental was inspired by his parents
During a conversation with Yahoo Entertainment to promote "Elemental," director Peter Sohn spoke about how the film was inspired by his parents. He said he invited them to an event in the Bronx in New York City following the release of his directorial debut, "The Good Dinosaur." "[I saw] my father, my mother, my brother there, and I could see the city miles of how hard their life was," the director said. "And I got very emotional and I just saw them and just thanked them. 'If it wasn't for all the hard work, all that you guys sacrificed, I would not be here.' I don't remember everything I said 'cause I was so emotional that day."
The emotions he felt in that moment, he said, led directly to the development of "Elemental." "After I got back to the studio after this event, people were like, 'How was this New York thing?'" he said. "And I told them that story and they were like, 'Peter, that's your next movie.' And that was the start of all of this, it became [about] trying to understand our parents as people and the people around us that have sacrificed for us."
Those themes run throughout "Elemental," so it's fitting that Sohn would include a direct dedication to his late parents within the film. It might not be funny like one of Pixar's fake blooper reels would be, but it is a touching and personal tribute from the movie's director that's more personal and special than a typical post-credits sequence would normally be.
Stay through the credits to see Sohn's tribute to his late parents in "Elemental" in theaters now.