Could Pixar Finally Get Its Groove Back With Hoppers?

Disney and Pixar may have rediscovered their spark with the upcoming animated film Hoppers, which critics say could mark a major creative rebound for the studio. The movie opens in theaters on March 6 and has already earned a 96% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes, ranking it among Pixar’s best-reviewed titles in years. If the score holds, Hoppers would sit among Pixar’s top 10 rated films on Rotten Tomatoes, tying with tenth placed Ratatouille. That would make it the first Pixar film of the 2020s to break into that group, which has long been dominated by earlier releases like Up, Finding Nemo, and the Toy Story series.

Hoppers tells the story of a young woman named Mabel whose mind is transferred into a robotic beaver, giving her the ability to speak with animals. Directed by Daniel Chong and written by Jesse Andrews, the film features the voices of Piper Curda, Bobby Moynihan, Jon Hamm, Kathy Najimy, Dave Franco, and Meryl Streep. Disney describes the film as an adventure in which animal lover Mabel “uses a new technology to hop her consciousness into a life-like robotic beaver.” Joined by a beaver named King George, she must rally the animal world against a smooth-talking mayor who threatens their habitat.

Here’s that Top 10 list according to Rotten Tomatoes:

1. Toy Story 2 – 100%
2. Toy Story – 100%
3. Finding Nemo – 99%
4. Inside Out – 98%
5. Toy Story 3 – 98%
6. Up – 98%
7. Coco – 97%
8. The Incredibles – 97%
9. Toy Story 4 – 97%
10. Ratatouille – 96%

According to early viewers, Hoppers carries a meaningful message about unity between people and animals, underscored by a sweeping animation style and lively character performances. It is the kind of story that recalls Pixar’s earlier balance of heart and imagination, something the studio has struggled to recapture in recent years as audiences shift and box office results fluctuate.

With high praise and strong early buzz, Hoppers could restore some lost faith in Pixar’s creative direction. After a run of uneven releases, the studio now faces both artistic and financial pressure to prove it can still deliver stories that resonate across generations. If this early response is any sign, audiences may finally be ready to believe again. If they can resist the urge to insert identity politics into the content, that would certainly help. 

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