Hoppers' 13 Easter Eggs & Pixar Movie References (Including All On The Chalkboard)

Did you spot them all?

Published on Mar. 10, 2026

Pixar has made a habit of including Easter eggs and references to their movies in each new release, and that is no different with Hoppers. The sci-fi film follows Mabel as she transfers her mind into the body of a beaver robot to try to save a special glade by bringing other animals back to the habitat. The movie is filled with references to past Pixar and Disney films, including nods to Finding Nemo, Toy Story, Up, and more.

Why it matters

Pixar is known for packing its films with hidden references and Easter eggs that connect the studio's various animated worlds. Hoppers continues this tradition, providing fans with a treasure trove of details to discover on repeat viewings. These references not only delight viewers but also hint at potential shared narrative connections between Pixar's films, fueling speculation about the studio's overarching Shared Universe Theory.

The details

Some of the key Easter eggs and references in Hoppers include: the turtle named Crush, a nod to Finding Nemo; the Pizza Planet truck from Toy Story; Mabel's phone case featuring an Up Wilderness Explorers badge and a Toy Story alien; three bears resembling the We Bare Bears characters; the A113 classroom reference; a direct comparison to Avatar; nods to Bambi's Thumper and Flower; the talking dog collar from Up; a cleaning robot resembling WALL-E; and a robotic cat similar to Sox from Lightyear.

  • Hoppers was released in 2026.

The players

Daniel Chong

The director of Hoppers, who previously created the animated series We Bare Bears.

Nicole Paradis Grindle

The producer of Hoppers.

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What they’re saying

“I mean, the movie certainly suggests it.”

— Daniel Chong, Director (ScreenRant)

“She did the basic research, necessary. We can say that.”

— Nicole Paradis Grindle, Producer (ScreenRant)

What’s next

Fans will likely continue to uncover more hidden references and connections in Hoppers as they rewatch the film, further exploring Pixar's expansive shared universe.

The takeaway

Hoppers demonstrates Pixar's commitment to packing its films with clever Easter eggs and references that delight fans and fuel speculation about the studio's overarching narrative connections. The movie's many nods to past Pixar and Disney classics show the studio's dedication to creating a cohesive animated world for audiences to explore.