Pixar's 'Hopper' Scores Biggest Original Animated Opening in Years

The well-reviewed animated comedy about a girl who 'hops' her consciousness into a beaver opened to $88 million worldwide.

Published on Mar. 8, 2026

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Disney and Pixar's new animated film 'Hopper' opened to an estimated $88 million worldwide this weekend, the biggest debut for an original animated movie since 2017. The well-reviewed comedy about a girl who 'hops' her consciousness into a beaver sold $46 million of tickets in the U.S. and Canada and $42 million overseas.

Why it matters

Pixar is known for its blockbuster animated films, but has struggled to match the success of past hits like 'Toy Story' and 'Finding Nemo' with more original concepts in recent years. 'Hopper's' strong opening is a positive sign that audiences are still hungry for new animated stories from the acclaimed studio.

The details

According to Disney, 'Hopper' opened with $46 million in domestic ticket sales and $42 million internationally, for a global total of $88 million. This makes it the biggest debut for an original animated film since 2017, though still below the openings of some of Pixar's past mega-hits.

  • The film opened in theaters on March 5, 2026.

The players

Disney

The parent company of Pixar Animation Studios, which produced the film 'Hopper'.

Pixar Animation Studios

The acclaimed animation studio behind films like 'Toy Story', 'Finding Nemo', and the new release 'Hopper'.

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What’s next

With a strong opening weekend, 'Hopper' will look to build momentum and become a box office hit for Pixar. The studio will be closely watching the film's performance in the coming weeks to gauge audience reception and determine if it has the potential to become a new animated franchise.

The takeaway

Pixar's ability to deliver original animated stories that resonate with audiences has been tested in recent years, but 'Hopper's' impressive opening weekend suggests the studio still has the creative spark to produce the kind of breakout hits that have defined its legacy.