Pixar Expanded Jon Hamm's Role as Mayor Jerry in "Hoppers"

The creative team behind the upcoming Pixar film "Hoppers" revealed they increased the part of Mayor Jerry, played by Jon Hamm, to strengthen the story's protagonist Mabel.

Jan. 29, 2026 at 2:39pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

In the upcoming Pixar film "Hoppers", a teenage girl named Mabel steals experimental hopping technology and transfers her consciousness into a robotic beaver to help save the homes of animals living in a shared pond from human development. One of those humans is Mayor Jerry, played by actor Jon Hamm. The creative team behind the film, including storyboarder and story lead Margaret Spencer, explained that Mayor Jerry's role was expanded from a cold, antagonistic character to one with a growing relationship with Mabel as the story developed. While some scenes featuring Mayor Jerry had to be trimmed, the filmmakers are glad they were able to give the character a more prominent part to strengthen Mabel's journey.

Why it matters

Pixar is known for creating compelling characters in its animated films, and the expansion of Jon Hamm's role as Mayor Jerry in "Hoppers" demonstrates the studio's commitment to developing well-rounded protagonists and antagonists. The relationship between Mabel and Mayor Jerry is said to be a highlight of the film, blending comedy and heart, which could help "Hoppers" stand out in the crowded field of Pixar sequels and original stories.

The details

According to storyboarder and story lead Margaret Spencer, Mayor Jerry was initially envisioned as a cold, antagonistic character with a political plan that would create problems for the film's protagonist, Mabel. However, as the story developed, the creative team decided to expand Jerry's role and give him a relationship with Mabel, who had previously been protesting against his plans. This allowed for more comedy and a more nuanced dynamic between the two characters. While some scenes featuring Jerry, such as one where he was getting ready for a rally, had to be trimmed down, the filmmakers are glad they were able to give the character a more prominent part to strengthen Mabel's journey.

  • Hoppers is set to be released in theaters on March 6, 2026.

The players

Hoppers

An upcoming original Pixar animated film.

Jon Hamm

An American actor who voices the character of Mayor Jerry in Hoppers.

Mabel

The teenage protagonist of Hoppers who steals experimental hopping technology and transfers her consciousness into a robotic beaver.

Margaret Spencer

A storyboarder and story lead who helped shape the visual narrative of Hoppers.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“I mean, we always had to find the balance of like, this is Mabel's story, and so what does Mabel need for this story to be compelling? And Jerry, early on, was pretty cold cut, an antagonist who just had this like political plan that was gonna be a problem for Mabel. And so we started to pull him in more. Soon, he had a relationship with Mabel, like he'd seen her protesting before. She was always in the way, and there was a lot of comedy in that relationship.”

— Margaret Spencer, Storyboarder and story lead

“There was a scene where Jerry's just getting ready for his big rally. And that scene was like four times as long when I first storyboarded it. It was way more abstract out there, and it just, you know, we had to cut it down.”

— Margaret Spencer, Storyboarder and story lead

What’s next

Hoppers is set to be released in theaters on March 6, 2026, and tickets are now on sale.

The takeaway

Pixar's decision to expand Jon Hamm's role as Mayor Jerry in the upcoming film Hoppers demonstrates the studio's commitment to developing well-rounded characters and relationships that can enhance the overall storytelling. By giving Mayor Jerry a more prominent part, the filmmakers were able to strengthen the protagonist Mabel's journey and create a dynamic that blends comedy and heart, which could help Hoppers stand out in the crowded field of Pixar releases.