Hoppers Hops into One of Pixar’s Best Forms

Release Date：Mar/6/2026

Genre：Animal Adventure/Artificial Intelligence/Body Swap Comedy/Computer Animation/Spy/Adventure/Animation/Comedy/Family/Sci-Fi

Director：Daniel Chong

Cast：Piper Curda、Bobby Moynihan、Jon Hamm、Kathy Najimy、Dave Franco、Eduardo Franco

Viola's Rating：8.4

Pixar’s latest feature film, Hoppers, once again proves that they are still good at telling a good story and that they continue to focus on people’s emotions and our relationship with the world. When the film was released on March 6, 2026, it opened a new perspective as we entered the season of spring this year.

As an adventurous, comedic, sci-fi family animation, Hoppers is a flick that consists of a bunch of different elements, including animals, artificial intelligence, body swap, and spy. The plot mainly revolves around how a 19-year-old animal lover, Mabel, uses technology that places her consciousness into a robotic beaver to uncover mysteries within the animal world beyond her imagination.

Hoppers is not only amazing in terms of its content, but also after the motion picture ends. Audiences can enjoy both the credit song and the adorable Easter eggs during the rolling credits. Besides showing all the animals trying to type on a cellphone and their reactions while doing so, each department is given three emojis that represent its role, regardless of filmmaking.

Choosing a beaver as the protagonist of Hoppers is a very clever decision, as it is not only an ecosystem engineer but also a key species. Throughout the movie, moviegoers get to understand how different species coexist in this world, yet it neither feels like a lecture nor turns into a cliché.

In order to avoid falling into a traditional formula, Pixar has made a few changes to keep Hoppers fresh. First, the painting style. Unlike the colorful, toy-like characters and realistic style we are familiar with, the picture presents a style closer to Asian animation, with an Asian character as the protagonist.

Second, the entire ecosystem is included. Although the protagonist, Mabel, turns into a beaver, it doesn’t mean that the story of Hoppers is only about beavers. The antagonist and the twist in the feature film are somewhat predictable, but it remains creative enough for audiences to experience a few surprises. Also, Hoppers uses the other animals that appear in it to “converse” with moviegoers, and the chosen “spokesperson” is highly relatable, making the overall viewing experience more engaging.

Last but not least, Hoppers incorporates current trends into its plot. The AI and technological aspects of the film bring modern elements to the story. Even though there are already many live-action flicks featuring similar topics, it is still worth anticipating seeing them woven into an animal animation.

Indeed, it is only the first quarter of the year, but Pixar is already eyeing the Academy Award with its latest masterpiece. More importantly, it is a motion picture that can be enjoyed by both adults and children, making it a truly satisfying adventure.

Picture Credit: IMDb