Posted in: Disney, Movies, Pixar | Tagged: hoppers

Hoppers Is A "Mission: Impossible, Crazy, Spy-Thriller Situation"

Hoppers is what happens when you put the "cutest, fluffiest animals in the most perilous, Mission: Impossible, crazy, spy-thriller situation."

2025 was not kind to Pixar, but they are looking to turn things around in 2026 with two big releases. While most people will be talking about Toy Story 5, the one that could have a bigger long-term impact is Hoppers. Pixar has been slowly moving away from original IP, and between Elio flopping and Inside Out 2 completely exploding, unfortunately, the box office is proving to them that audiences don't want original stories from Pixar anymore. So this movie needs to do well, and the fact that it's utterly buckwild might be the funniest aspect of this entire thing. It sounds like being buckwild is baked into the DNA of this film; director and co-writer Daniel Chong recently explained the premise to Empire, and the elevator pitch is wild.

"I had this idea: what if you put the cutest, fluffiest animals in the most perilous, Mission: Impossible, crazy, spy-thriller situation, with everything blowing up around them?" Chong explained. "It felt like some funny thing that I'd never seen before."

Pixar and Disney animation have become known for their field trips, so they go out into the world and ask anyone they can about the details, so they can get everything in the film right. The devil is in the details, and if you're going to dedicate the years it takes to animate a movie, you might as well get all of the little things right, too. In the case of Hoppers, that meant working with researchers and seeking out actual beavers, because of course. Chong shared a story about interacting with Ginger, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo's 'geriatric beaver', over a Zoom call, and "She was really cranky. Anytime they tried to bring another beaver into her spot, she'd [have none of it], and would be combative. She knew what she wanted." We love a lady who knows what she wants in her golden years.

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Hoppers: Summary, Cast List, Release Date

Hoppers is the new animated comedy adventure which introduces Mabel, an animal lover who seizes an opportunity to use a new technology to 'hop' her consciousness into a life-like robotic beaver and communicate directly with animals. Using the technology, Mabel uncovers mysteries within the animal world that are beyond anything she could have imagined.

Hoppers features the voice of Bobby Moynihan as King George, an undeniably optimistic, kind and larger-than-life beaver who is the leader of the pond and king of the mammals. Jon Hamm voices Mayor Jerry, a politician running for reelection in Beaverton. Under his shiny, perfectly coiffed hair and matching public persona, Jerry is losing his cool over the one thing he can't control: Mabel.

Hoppers also features the voices of Meryl Streep (Insect Queen), Dave Franco (Titus), Kathy Najimy (Dr. Sam), Eduardo Franco (Loaf), Melissa Villaseñor (Ellen), Ego Nwodim (Fish Queen), Vanessa Bayer (Diane), Sam Richardson (Conner), Aparna Nancherla (Nisha), Nichole Sakura (Reptile Queens), Isiah Whitlock Jr. (Bird King), Steve Purcell (Amphibian King), Karen Huie (Grandma Tanaka) and Tom Law (Tom Lizard), along with previously announced voice cast members Piper Curda (Mabel), Bobby Moynihan (KingGeorge) and Jon Hamm (Mayor Jerry).

Hoppers is directed by Daniel Chong (We Bare Bears), produced by Nicole Paradis Grindle (Incredibles 2) and features an original score by composer Mark Mothersbaugh (Thor: Ragnarok). The film opens exclusively in theaters on March 6, 2026.

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