Hoppers (2026)

​“Hoppers” stars Piper Curda, Bobby Moynihan, Jon Hamm, Kathy Najimy, and Dave Franco.  Released on March 6, 2026, the film follows a girl who uses an invention to transfer her mind into a robotic beaver.

The film is directed by Daniel Chong, who’s best known for creating “We Bare Bears” and writing and directing “We Bare Bears: The Movie”.  Chong is also known for working as a storyboard artist for “Bolt”, “Cars 2”, “Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax”, “Free Birds”, and “Inside Out”.  In another universe, we would have been able to communicate with animals, making it easier for us to coexist with them and save their species.  But that seemed like wishful thinking…at least until science came along to make it a reality.  While it sounds like a dream come true for animal lovers, it can also lead to something as wild as the furry creatures themselves.  Pixar’s recent return to its original projects started pretty rough with the disappointing box office run of the criminally underrated “Elio” last year.  Fortunately, that didn’t stop the studio from moving forward with more of its ingenious ideas amid its upcoming sequels, including an original comedy from “We Bare Bears” creator Daniel Chong.  Who would’ve thought that Chong has a strong connection with the wildlife regarding this and “We Bare Bears”?  Is this environmental-based premise wild enough to blend with the typical Pixar charm, or are we better off hanging with the humans instead?  Let’s find out.

The story follows Mabel Tanaka (Curda), a 19-year-old animal lover in Beaverton who continuously strives to defend the wildlife.  Mabel learns from her biology professor, Dr. Sam (Najimy), that she has invented a solution to transport human minds into lifelike robotic animals known as “hoppers”.  Mabel then uses the hopping technology to transfer her mind into a robot beaver to help the animals, including a beaver monarch named King George (Moynihan), save their habitat from a construction company led by the city's mayor, Jerry Generazzo (Hamm).  However, this led her to unintentionally spark an animal uprising against the humans, prompting Mabel to find a solution for both sides to coexist.

While I don’t mind Pixar’s sequels if their executions are good, I will always champion the studio’s creativity for its original films, and “Hoppers” is no different.  Of course, another reason for my interest is that the concept made it seem like Pixar’s answer to James Cameron’s “Avatar”, despite Dr. Sam denying that claim.  She can deny that all she wants, but it definitely looks like “Avatar” if it were aimed more at younger kids.  However, what really won me over is the involvement of Daniel Chong, who made “We Bare Bears” one of the surprising hits on the Cartoon Network.  Even I thought that show was surprisingly entertaining, with enough charm and heart to complement its simple art style and slice-of-life humor.  I also found “We Bare Bears: The Movie” to be a decent conclusion to that series, despite a few narrative issues, which you can read on my website’s “2020 Reviews” page.  Chong’s approach to animal-type humor and animation style made him a great fit for this concept, in my eyes.  Still, with people’s eyes already on “Toy Story 5”, its execution would have to be good enough to get everyone to support original films again.

Regarding its critical reception, it seems the film made its “Avatar for kids” concept work through its story and animation.  After watching the movie for myself, I would tend to agree.  “Hoppers” is another Pixar delight that utilizes the studio’s heart and charm to deliver a consistently engaging adventure for children and a heartwarming experience for older viewers and wildlife lovers.  However, when compared to Pixar’s other gems like “Inside Out”, “Toy Story”, and “Up”, it doesn’t quite capture the raw beauty of its straightforward narrative as it does for the forest glade.  It’s basically another “save the environment” film, with its protagonist defending the animals’ home from humans because “nature is good, and freeways are bad,” and whatnot.  While its message still rings true today, there's concern that the film might continually shove this theme down people’s throats amid its wildly cartoonish nature.  With Mabel being a lover of all things natural, the film would likely be a case of inserting some “agenda” in children’s media, or so I figured from social media nowadays.

Thankfully, that doesn’t appear to be the case in “Hoppers”.  Jesse Andrews, the author of “Me and Earl and the Dying Girl” and co-writer of “Luca”, has mostly succeeded in achieving this blend of family entertainment and pro-messaging in his screenplay.  While it emphasizes the significance of the environment, the movie also highlights the value of unity and the true meaning of making a difference—not just for oneself, but for everyone.  Mabel hopes to make that difference by protecting the wildlife she cares about, but it isn’t easy, even with the hopping technology at her side.  But as I mentioned earlier, the story can be pretty basic in its structure and even the world-building, leaving me with a sense of familiarity in some parts and a lack of emotional impact.  Now, that’s not to say that it is a bad thing, as Pixar is no stranger to providing basic stories that are less complex and boundary-pushing than its masterpieces.  A couple of them may not have hit their storytelling marks, but others succeed in delivering suitable family-friendly entertainment and plenty of heart. 

“Hoppers” is one such case where its simplicity can work just as well as others with deeper storytelling.  As I said, the film is consistently entertaining from start to finish, not just in its concept but also in the humor that drives it.  I admired Chong’s approach to the fast-paced comedy in “We Bare Bears,” which didn’t feel too fast or too draggy.  Sure, it’s a cartoon about three talking bears, but it’s a cartoon that possesses an energy as untamed as…well, the animals.  Chong managed to inject this type of vitality into the film’s presentation, with the difference being in CGI rather than the 2D animation in “We Bare Bears”, and the result is a delightfully wild treat.  With pacing that matches a beaver’s speed and the charm of its simple yet amusing animal characters, Chong expresses the wild side he possessed from his work on the Cartoon Network show to exhibit the wacky nature of Pixar’s traditional presentation.  I would also note that the humor, while amusing, can be surprisingly dark at times, particularly in the climax.  There are even a couple of moments that may make the children’s fur stand up in fright, a trend that Pixar is also familiar with in its filmography.  

As for the animation, “Hoppers” certainly has that classic Pixar finesse in the vibrancy, textures, and depth, notably in its cinematography.  However, it also left enough room for Daniel Chong’s creativity to thrive alongside the studio’s presentation.  Instead of making the characters realistic, “Hoppers” continues Pixar’s tradition of making them more “cartoony”, similar to the designs in “Turning Red”, “Luca”, and “Elio”.  No, that does not mean we get to see more of the characters with bean-shaped mouths.  Rather, the character designs are more in line with those in “We Bare Bears” in terms of facial expressions and rhythmic movements.  While it lacks creativity, it further highlights Pixar’s ability to achieve immersion, energy, and beauty through its straightforward presentation and characters.  In terms of presentation and direction, “Hoppers” symbolizes great things to come for Chong as a director, and I hope it leads to him working on more projects for Pixar or other animation companies in the future.

Speaking of the characters, they each brought their own charm to their personalities, thanks to the voice cast.  Bobby Moynihan (King George) and Demetri Martin (Flock of Birds) previously worked with Chong on “We Bare Bears”, where Moynihan voiced Panda and Martin voiced Ice Bear, so you can say that this is a “bearable” reunion for these collaborators.  Moynihan continues to showcase a strong likability in his vocal performance as King George, who stands out as another supporting character from Pixar who skillfully balances comic relief with emotional depth.  This is evident in his friendship with Mabel, who is voiced exceptionally well by Piper Curda.  While I haven’t watched any of Curda’s previous works, I was aware that she was another former Disney Channel star, having starred in shows like “A.N.T. Farm” and “I Didn’t Do It”.  Regardless, I was highly impressed with how Curda conveyed Mabel’s personality through her energy and warmth.  Mabel is funny and determined, but she’s also a flawed human being who jumps ahead without thinking things through.  I won’t be surprised if we see more of Curda in the future, animation or otherwise.  Jon Hamm also did a great job injecting some charisma into his role as Jerry Generazzo, a mayor who gets tangled up in Mabel’s struggle to protect the wildlife.  All I can say about him is that his character arc makes him more than just a traditional bad guy who threatens nature, which is enough to excuse some of the screenplay’s narrative trappings.

Overall, “Hoppers” hops its way into the hearts of nature lovers and families with a delightfully wild and entertaining comedy that highlights Pixar’s quality.  Daniel Chong expressed his animalistic side from his work on “We Bare Bears” to craft another animal-themed project that’s fun and endearing enough to divert young viewers despite some of its frightening moments.  However, its straightforward and mildly predictable storytelling doesn’t quite match the emotional impact and surprise factor of some of the studio’s animated masterpieces, especially in its themes of environmentalism and unity.  Fortunately, it also shows Pixar’s ability to make even the basic storylines as entertaining, humorous, and heartfelt as those with mature themes.  Regarding the comedy that matches the absurd nature of its animals and a plot that’s familiar yet tolerable in its messaging, the film proves that Pixar still has those creative juices running in its own natural world.  It may not be my personal favorite from Pixar, but I liked it well enough to rewatch it in the near future.  If you’re a big supporter of original films, be it from Pixar or otherwise, I would say this movie’s worth hopping over to check out.   

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