Pixar's 'Hoppers' Launches New Franchise with Heartfelt Story

The latest Pixar film follows a young animal lover's quest to save her town's nature reserve from development.

Published on Mar. 2, 2026

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Pixar's new animated film "Hoppers" follows 19-year-old Mabel, an animal lover still grieving the death of her grandmother. When the mayor tries to build a freeway over the nature reserve Mabel grew up exploring, she uses new "Hopper" technology to transfer her consciousness into a robot beaver to lead the fight to save the land. With strong lead performances and Pixar's signature animation, "Hoppers" is being hailed as a return to form for the acclaimed studio, featuring a heartfelt story that can appeal to both kids and adults.

Why it matters

After a recent creative slump, "Hoppers" represents a potential new franchise for Pixar that could help revive the studio's momentum. The film's themes of environmentalism and generational conflict also resonate with current cultural discussions around development, conservation, and the evolving relationship between humans and nature.

The details

In "Hoppers," Mabel, voiced by Piper Curda, uses a new technology that allows her to transfer her consciousness into a robot beaver in order to lead the fight to save her town's nature reserve from being paved over for a freeway by the mayor, Jerry Generazzo (Jon Hamm). The film features strong lead performances, with Curda capturing Mabel's youthful determination and Moynihan bringing warmth and humor to the beaver king, King George.

  • The film is set to be released on March 6, 2026.

The players

Mabel

A 19-year-old animal lover who uses new "Hopper" technology to transfer her consciousness into a robot beaver to save her town's nature reserve.

Jerry Generazzo

The mayor of the town who is trying to build a freeway over the nature reserve.

King George

The beaver king who befriends Mabel and tries to see the best in people, including the mayor.

Piper Curda

The actress who voices the lead character of Mabel.

Bobby Moynihan

The actor who voices the character of King George, the beaver king.

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What they’re saying

“Hoppers is an adorable story, and Daniel Chong knocks it out of the park with his story and animation. The concept is clever, and it's a very heartfelt film, largely thanks to Curda and Bobby Moynihan's performances.”

— Andrew Korpan, Reviewer (clutchpoints.com)

“Curda mixes in the right amount of youthfulness in her performance. Mabel is dead-set on accomplishing her mission. That blind ambition affects others, and while she's not the villain, she may as well be (without her realizing it).”

— Andrew Korpan, Reviewer (clutchpoints.com)

“Moynihan is usually the funny guy, but Hoppers gives him more of a showcase for his dramatic chops. His comedic timing still shines when asked, though.”

— Andrew Korpan, Reviewer (clutchpoints.com)

What’s next

Hoppers is being positioned as the start of a new Pixar franchise, so fans can likely expect sequels and spinoffs in the coming years if the film is a box office success.

The takeaway

With its heartfelt story, strong lead performances, and Pixar's signature animation, "Hoppers" represents a return to form for the acclaimed studio and a potential new franchise that can appeal to both kids and adults.