Even though the animated series We Bare Bears ended in 2019, artist and writer extraordinaire Daniel Chong has not been idle in the interim. Teaming up with Pixar mastermind and producer Nicole Grindle (The Incredibles, Elio), Chong began formulating what would affectionately be nicknamed “Penguin Avatar,” within the Pixar production department sphere. Eventually, that concept evolved into what would become Hoppers: a tale of a young girl passionate about nature, conservation, and care, whose journey takes an unexpected turn thanks to a little Disney magic.
Hoppers is a 2026 animated science-fiction adventure from Pixar that follows Mabel Tanaka (Piper Curda), a passionate, 19-year-old, environmental activist who wants to save a forest glade near her town from being destroyed in favor of a planned freeway. When she discovers a new technology that lets human consciousness “hop” into lifelike robotic animals, Mabel transfers her mind into a robotic beaver to secretly enter the animal world. There, she befriends beavers and other creatures and works to unite them against threats to their habitat, while navigating the complex politics and dangers of the animal kingdom. Ultimately, Mabel helps stop the development project and protect the forest, learning to balance activism, cooperation, and her own future along the way.
Hoppers releases March 6, 2026 in theaters.
Hoppers Official Synopsis
In Disney and Pixar’s all-new animated comedy adventure “Hoppers,” animal lover Mabel (voice of Piper Curda) seizes an opportunity to use a new technology to ‘hop’ her consciousness into a life-like robotic beaver and communicate directly with animals. As she uncovers mysteries in the animal world beyond anything she could have imagined, Mabel befriends charismatic beaver King George (voice of Bobby Moynihan) and must rally the entire animal kingdom to face a major, imminent human-threat: smooth-talking local mayor Jerry Generazzo (voice of Jon Hamm). The all-star voice ensemble also features Kathy Najimy, Dave Franco and Meryl Streep. “Hoppers” is directed by Daniel Chong and produced by Nicole Paradis Grindle, with an original score by Mark Mothersbaugh. The film opens exclusively in theaters on March 6, 2026.
Review – Pixar’s Latest Film Blends Environmental Themes with Hilarity and Absurdity
Hoppers is Pixar’s 30th movie and it’s a welcome addition to their revered catalog. It follows in the footsteps of films like Turning Red in that it is about the impact family can have on us from childhood and beyond, and in a spiritual way, it’s also an amalgamation of some of our favorite Pixar animal tales over the decades (the against-all-odds struggle of A Bug’s Life and the optimism of Finding Nemo). That’s not to say it isn’t unique or that it does not carry its own originalities: because how often does a teenage girl transfer her brain into the body of a robot beaver and save her city? Pixar has captured lightning in a bottle with Mabel Tanaka, a scrappy outsider underdog, and hot-headed activist. Naturally, she’s surrounded by a lovable cast of characters: beavers, sharks, an adorkable lizard named Tom, an army of butterflies and ants and sci-fi tech that would make Captain Kirk blush. The story at its core is really just focused on a girl who wants to do the right thing in a world where people just don’t care as much anymore, and there’s an isolation and loneliness to that that everyone will relate to regardless of their age, creed or gender.
One thing I absolutely adore about this film is that it doesn’t take itself too seriously. It knows its premise is wild and runs with it from beginning to end. This in turn lends to some great fever dream-like segments.
Piper Curda and the Voice Cast Shine
Hoppers takes a clever swing in casting Disney alum Piper Curda in the leading role as Mabel Tanaka, and its a swing that pays off, as her voice is extremely emotive during even the littlest fluctuations and shortest sentences. Daniel Chong said in our sit-down interview, that if you can love a character “even when they’re yelling,” you’ve got a winner on your hands. And Curda’s vocals fit the bill perfectly. Jon Hamm does a doubly smug and endearing job as Mayor Jerry, a self-absorbed politician with no care for the environment, who turns out to have a very empathetic arc. And of course, with a stacked cast that includes Bobby Moynihan, Kathy Najimy, Dave Franco and Meryl Streep, it’s an easy call to say that the casting team knocked it out of the park.
Leaning too Heavily on Familiar Tropes
As great a film as Hoppers is, it doesn’t escape many of their classic and well-known tropes: Our initial antagonist flips to hero towards the end (a la Ming Lee in Turning Red or Sadness in Inside Out), family trauma is on full display (Mabel’s grandmother’s death influences her life choices, even if to a lesser degree) and of course, it ends “happily ever after.” The story would’ve benefited from avoiding at least a few of those tropes, including an ending that doesn’t wrap things up with a pretty bow and instead offering a memorable and emotionally destructive “Death-of-Kerchak” moment.
On top of that, the film is quite predictable in it’s beats and plot points. We follow a pretty traditional Hero’s Journey structure to an almost surgical degree. However, kids will likely be absolutely thrilled by the tension and suspense of the formula, and adults should easily overlook the simplicity in favor of the humor and lovability of the characters.
Mark Mothersbaugh’s Score Adds Energy and Whimsy
Mark Mothersbaugh’s score captures the whimsy and childlike wonder of the story; it’s vibrant, engaging and wholly entertaining. Being that the film doesn’t take itself at all too seriously, the music dives into that dynamic head-first and unapologetically. Plus, the film is bookended by a brilliant and track by R&B/Pop star extraordinare SZA, called “Save The Day,” which is both a short and catchy ear worm, and also lyrically emotional and musically gripping, thanks to an immaculate production from producers Ben Lovett (of Mumford & Sons) and her frequent collaborator Rob Bisel.
Final Thoughts
In a certain sense, Hoppers is a metaphor for humans making up for their transgressions towards nature and animals, but also for coming together and making peace with the world around us. Mabel finally learns to let go and embrace the cycle of life, and we see how nature, both the animals and the world at large, will always care for us as long as we care about it.
Pros
- Stellar voice casting
- Great music
- A touching tale with a great moral to the story
- Never takes itself too seriously and can lean into its irreverence for even bigger laughs
Cons
- The plot and execution is predictable
Rating – 4/5 Pocky
Elijah Isaiah Johnson is a writer/illustrator/animator. His most recently published works include the Amazon best-seller Nightmare Detective, Noir is the New Black, the Comixology Indie best-selling series Leaders of the Free World, The Formula and much more.
