Hoppers is a 2026 American animated science fiction comedy film directed by Daniel Chong from a screenplay by Jesse Andrews and a story by Chong and Andrews. Produced by Pixar Animation Studios for Walt Disney Pictures, the film stars the voices of Piper Curda, Bobby Moynihan, Jon Hamm, Kathy Najimy, and Dave Franco. It follows Mabel Tanaka (Curda), an animal-loving college student who transfers her consciousness…
Hello, hivers, here is my review on this animation, sci-fi and a little bit of action movie.
Whenever life gets too busy and the stress of daily routines starts weighing me down, I look forward to sitting down with a good animated film. There is just something special about a movie that lets you laugh, relaxes your mind, and takes you on a fun adventure. So, when Disney and Pixar announced their brand new 2026 animated sci-fi comedy called Hoppers, I knew I had to check it out. Directed by Daniel Chong, who is famous for his amazing work on We Bare Bears, this movie brings a completely unique, wild, and crazy concept to the big screen.
The whole film is built around the idea of a young girl who uses top secret mind transfer technology to put her human consciousness inside a hyper-realistic robotic beaver so she can talk directly with wild creatures. When I first heard about this stuff, I was both deeply curious. I wanted to see how Pixar would handle such a strange, goofy idea without making it look silly. I am happy to report that it turned out to be much funnier, wilder, and more fast-paced than I expected.
Mabel at the construction site
Plot
The main story follows a 19-year-old girl named Mabel Tanaka, who is voiced by the talented. Mabel is not your average teenager, she has a deeply rooted love for nature and a special bond with local wildlife, an appreciation she learned from growing up with her late grandmother.
She spends a lot of her free time outdoors, studying animals and enjoying the peace of the woods. However, her peaceful world gets completely turned upside down when a smooth talking, highly ambitious local politician named Mayor Jerry Generazzo, enters the scene. The mayor announces a massive, destructive development plan to build a giant express freeway overpass right through the local environment. Unfortunately, this massive concrete highway will completely destroy a quiet, beautiful forest habitat that means the world to Mabel, as it was the exact spot where she shared her best memories with her grandmother.
Desperate to find a way to save the habitat and prove that the forest is worth protecting, Mabel seeks out a group of local scientists who have been working on an experimental, high-tech project. This incredible invention allows a human being to sync their brain and their mind directly into a fully, robotic animal body.
Mabel in robotic beaver
Mabel wastes no time volunteering for this untested experiment. She chooses a robotic beaver as her undercover avatar to go quietly into the woods. At first, her plan is very simple. she thinks she is just going to walk around, gather physical evidence of rare wildlife, and find a legal way to stop the construction trucks from rolling in. But the moment she enters the forest in her new animal body, she gets a massive shock. She drops straight into a fully organized, highly structured, and incredibly vocal animal society. While trying to figure out how to walk on four legs and slap her flat tail, she meets and befriends a very funny, charismatic real-life beaver named King George. Through King George, Mabel makes a mind blowing discovery. The local wilderness is not just a bunch of random creatures running around, it is actually a complex animal kingdom bound by ancient laws and led by various animal kinds, ranging from proud bird kings to wise reptile queens.
The main Problem with the Movie
This is where the main conflict and problem of the movie really kicks into high gear. Mabel quickly realizes that writing letters, protesting peacefully, or just collecting data is not going to stop the greedy mayor and his heavy construction bulldozers. The humans on the outside cannot hear the animals, and they do not care about the damage they are causing to the environment. The real problem is that the animals are completely divided into different factions based on their species, and they do not trust each other enough to stand up against the human invasion. To make matters worse, Mabel is caught in the middle of a massive identity crisis. The longer she stays inside her robotic beaver body interacting with the wilderness, the more she starts to view the world from the animals' perspective. She has to find a way to bridge the gap between two completely different worlds. She faces the ultimate challenge of convincing these stubborn, divided animal leaders including the birds, the fish, the bears, and the tiny insectsto put aside their old evolutionary rivalries, trust a human mind inside a fake beaver skin, and form a giant coalition to protect their shared home before the concrete is poured.
Mabel with animal kings
The Animation and Visual Style
From a technical standpoint, the visual style and overall pacing of Hoppers are absolutely breathtaking. Unlike some of Pixar’s recent films that focus on slow, heavy human dramas, this movie runs on a very high energy, fast, and almost manic rhythm. The design team did a phenomenal job creating the forest environments. The glowing green trees, the sparkling clear river water, and the hyper detailed textures of the animal fur look incredibly rich, vibrant, and realistic. Watching a human brain try to figure out how to swim like a beaver, gather sticks, and communicate using animal gestures leads to some of the most genuinely funny slapstick moments Pixar has produced in a long time.
What Makes This Movie Work
What truly makes Hoppers such an enjoyable watch is its incredible character writing and its willingness to embrace absolute absurdity. The supporting voice cast brings a mountain of personality to the journey. The interactions between Mabel and the various animal royalty give the film a very distinct, memorable, and charming flavor. More importantly, even though the environmental message about conservation is very direct and clear, it never feels like a boring lecture. The story works beautifully because the script fully commits to its wild sci-fi premise and balances the high stakes with a massive amount of laugh out loud humor.
Mabel protection mayor
The Downsides and Predictable Parts
However, if we are looking at the script critically, the movie does have a few predictable elements that keep it from being absolutely perfect. The core narrative arc follows a very familiar path. If you have ever watched classic environmental protection stories, or even big sci-fi movies like Avatar, you will easily be able to spot exactly where the plot beats and character conflicts are heading early on. The "undercover human who falls in love with the world they were sent to investigate" is a pattern we have seen many times before in cinema history.
Additionally, a few of the emotional flashbacks meant to honor Mabel's late grandmother feel a bit formulaive and standard for family animation, almost as if the writers were ticking off a required Pixar checklist to make the audience cry. Fortunately, the creativity of the animal kingdom, the brilliant voice acting, and the non-stop comedic momentum easily make up for these predictable plot lines.
The Final Showdown and Conclusion
The final act of the movie brings all the built-up chaos together in a spectacular, high-energy showdown that forces the humans and the united animals to stand face to face at the construction site. It left me with a beautiful, heartwarming reminder about the importance of preserving our natural spaces, listening to the quiet voices of nature, and protecting the eath for future generations.
Mabel after saving the habitat
Overall, Hoppers is a fantastic, bright, and incredibly funny family movie that delivers an excellent time at the cinema. It might not be the most emotionally complex or heartbreaking masterpiece in the massive Pixar library, but it is easily one of their most entertaining, original, and energetic films in recent years.
Rating: 80/100
7 more reviews
›HOPPERS (2026) (EN-ES) | REVIEW 🎬85@neotopher61d
Lately, I’ve become interested in films made by Pixar Animation Studios after deciding to rewatch “Cars” (2006). One thing led to another, and I also watched “Toy Story” (1995). I had planned to watch another Pixar classic, but then I realized I wasn’t giving the studio’s newer animated films a chance. (The last one I watched was “Soul” from 2020.) So I started researching what has been produced in recent years, and the film that caught my attention was “Hoppers.”
It was released in March of this year, but it didn’t catch my attention until now, when I saw a clip from the film on YouTube. Sometimes you have to look at something at the right moment to give a good movie a chance.
The premise of this story revolves around a girl who loves nature and the animals that live in it. She gains access to technology designed to allow humans to transfer their consciousness into an artificial body—specifically, a robot shaped like an animal—in order to infiltrate a tribe, learn its customs from within, and save its habitat from the imminent destruction caused by civilization.
Yes, this story may sound familiar if you are one of the millions of people who watched “Avatar” (2010), directed by James Cameron. However, “Hoppers” (2026) takes inspiration from that famous science-fiction film and moves it to a much more ordinary setting: the animal kingdom—a small forest inhabited by beavers, deer, rabbits, birds, bears, and lizards.
Mabel Tanaka is a girl with anger issues who, thanks to her grandmother, found a peaceful place where she can leave her frustrations behind: a clearing on the outskirts of a forest. Years later, however, the city’s mayor promotes the construction of a highway that threatens the integrity of Mabel’s special place. With the help of two university doctors, Mabel comes up with the brilliant idea of transferring her mind into a robotic beaver with synthetic fur in order to convince the forest animals to do something about the human invasion of their habitat.
By pretending to be a beaver, Mabel has the opportunity to communicate directly with the forest animals. For the first time, humans interact directly with Pixar’s eloquent animal kingdom. While living among animal society, the protagonist befriends King George, the charismatic king of the mammals; another somewhat atypical beaver; a bear; and a green lizard, who may be the best character in the film despite having very few lines.
I was surprised by “Hoppers,” because I expected it to have the usual environmental message that turns “bad humans” into the antagonists. But it doesn’t. In a classic Pixar twist, the film gives us an unexpected antagonist, although I found it a little forced.
The film also offers a reflection on human intervention and coexistence with Mother Nature. Protecting the ecosystem isn’t about starting a destructive war or building barriers between species; it’s about finding common ground and achieving balance. The same rules cannot be applied equally to every animal. By showing the unforeseen consequences of extreme activism and indifference toward small changes, the film makes it clear that coexistence requires patience, commitment, and the understanding that we all share the same world.
“Both wildlife and humans share the same world.” Mabel undergoes one of the most interesting character arcs I’ve seen in a Disney film in recent years. At first, she is stubborn and impulsive, with good intentions but little regard for the consequences of her actions. She has the typical protagonist attitude of someone who wants to “break the rules,” followed by a reality check that makes her confront the deception she has inflicted on the animals who trusted her, as well as the disastrous consequences of her actions.
Her true growth lies in learning to channel her feelings as she reflects on her place in the world and the nature of that world. (I recognize that feeling; it’s something I call “being present.”)
I think fans of the famous “Pixar Theory” will love this film because it seems to “confirm” the conjecture that all of the studio’s films are interconnected within the same cinematic universe. (Of course, it is still only a theory.) From the insects seen in “A Bug’s Life” to the rats in “Ratatouille,” Pixar has always shown animals behaving in strangely human ways. In “Hoppers,” it is confirmed that the animal kingdom is more complex than previously thought.
The existence of an “Animal Council,” with monarchs who diplomatically represent insects, amphibians, fish, birds, and mammals, suggests that wildlife in Pixar’s universe can develop a sociopolitical system. Apparently, animals are secretly just as conscious and organized as humans.
“Hoppers” struck me as an appealing film because of its science-fiction premise. The transfer of minds into mechanical bodies is something I don’t see very often, and I think it has a great deal of potential in fiction. The film is as emotional as only this studio knows how to make it—that much is undeniable. It is a work that doesn’t underestimate its audience; for example, it doesn’t ignore the fact that carnivorous animals eat other animals. I think the narrative has a few flaws, but they aren’t significant enough to weigh down or ruin the experience. I think it is the perfect film for reconnecting with nature.
Original version in Spanish
Últimamente me interese por las películas hechas por Pixar animación studios desde que tuve la idea de ver de nuevo "Cars" (2006), una cosa llevo a la otra y también me vi "Toy Story" (1995), tenía planes de ver otro clásico de Pixar, pero luego me di cuenta de que no le estoy dando una oportunidad a las nuevas cintas animadas. (La última que me vi fue "Soul" del 2020) Así que me puse a investigar que se ha producido en estos últimos años y la cinta que me llamó la atención fue "Hoppers"
Se estrenó en marzo de este mismo año, pero no me llamo la atención hasta ahora, ya que vi un clip de la película en Youtube. A veces hay que echar un vistazo en el momento adecuado para darle una oportunidad a una buena película.
La premisa de está historia gira entorno a una chica amante de la naturaleza y los animales que viven en está, resulta que ella tiene acceso a una tecnología diseñada para que el ser humano transfiera su conciencia a un cuerpo artificial, concretamente al de un robot con aspecto de animal para poder infiltrarse en una tribu, aprender sus costumbres desde adentro y salvar su hábitat de la inminente destrucción de la civilización.
Si, tal vez está historia te suene familiar si eres una de las millones de personas que vio "Avatar" (2010) de James Cameron. Sin embargo, Hoppers (2026) toma inspiración de esta famosa película de ciencia ficción y la traslada a un escenario mucho más mundano como el reino animal: Un pequeño bosque habitado por castores, ciervos, conejos, aves, osos y lagartos.
Mabel Tanaka es una chica con problemas temperamentales que gracias a su abuela encontró un lugar pacífico en el cual puede dejar atrás la frustración: Un claro a las afueras de un bosque. Pero años después, el alcalde de la ciudad promueve la construcción de una autopista que pone en peligro la integridad del lugar especial de Mabel. Por lo que gracias a unas doctoras de la universidad, Mabel tiene la brillante idea de transferir su mente a un castor robótico de pelaje sintético para convencer a los animales del bosque de hacer algo al respecto contra la invasión del ser humano en su hábitat.
Al fingir ser un castor, Mabel tiene la oportunidad de comunicarse directamente con los animales del bosque, por lo que por primera vez, los humanos interactúan directamente con el elocuente reino animal de pixar. Al convivir con la sociedad animal, la protagonista se hace amiga del Rey George, el carismático rey de los mamíferos, de otro castor algo atipatico, de una osa y de una lagartija verde (Que tal vez sea el mejor personaje de la película y tiene pocos diálogos)
Me lleve una sorpresa al ver "Hoppers", ya que tenía el presentimiento de que tendría el mensaje ecológico que pondría de antagonistas a los "humanos malos", pero no, ese giro clásico de las películas de Pixar nos muestra a un antagonista inesperado (Aunque un poco forzado a mi parecer).
También, la película plantea una reflexión sobre el intervencionismo humano y la convivencia con la madre naturaleza. Proteger el ecosistema no se trata de iniciar una guerra destructiva o levantar barreras entre las especies, sino de encontrar un terreno de beneficio mutuo y encontrar el equilibrio. La normas no pueden aplicarse a todos los animales por igual, al mostrar las consecuencias imprevistas del activismo extremo y del desinterés ante los pequeños cambios: se vuelve evidente que la coexistencia requiere paciencia, compromiso, y la comprensión de que todos.
"Tanto la fauna como el ser humano compartimos el mismo mundo". Mabel experimenta uno de arcos de personaje más interesantes que he visto en los últimos años en películas de Disney. Al principio es una chica testaruda e impulsiva que tiene buenas intenciones, pero que no mide las consecuencias de sus acciones. Es la típica actitud de protagonista que "romper las reglas" y tiene ese choque de realidad que le hace tener consciencia de su engaño hacia los animales que le dieron su confianza y las consecuencias desastrosas de la cinta.
Su verdadero crecimiento radica en aprender a canalizar sus sentimientos al recapacitar sobre su lugar en el mundo y la naturaleza del mismo. (Reconozco ese sentimiento, es algo a lo que yo llamo "sentir el presente")
Creo que los fanáticos de la famosa "Teoría Pixar" adoran esta cinta por "Confirmar" las conjeturas que indican que todas las películas del estudio están interconectadas al estar en el mismo universo cinematográfico. (Pero claro, sigue siendo una teoría), desde los insectos vistos en "A Bug's Life" hasta las ratas en "Ratatouille", siempre se han visto animales con comportamientos extrañamente humanos, Y en "Hoppers" se confirma que el reino animal es más complejo de lo que se pensaba.
La existencia de un "Consejo Animal", con monarcas que representan diplomáticamente a insectos, anfibios, peces, aves y mamíferos sugiere que la fauna puede desarrollar un sistema sociopolítico en Pixar. Al parecer, los animales son secretamente tan conscientes y organizados como los humanos.
"Hoppers" me pareció un producto atractivo por su tema de ciencia ficción, el traslado de mentes a cuerpos mecánicos es algo no veo muy a menudo y creo que tiene mucho potencial en el mundo de la ficción. La cinta es tan emotiva como solo el estudio sabe hacerlo, eso es innegable. Es una obra que no subestima a su audiencia, (Por ejemplo, no omite el hecho de que los animales carnívoros se comen a otros animales), creo que la narrativa tiene algunos fallos, pero no son cosas que pesen demasiado y arruinen la experiencia. Creo que la película perfecta para conectar con la naturaleza.
Have you ever wondered what the world looks like from an animal’s perspective? What if you could leave your human body for a while and experience life as an animal... what animal would you choose?
Hoppers is an animated comedy-adventure this 2026 about a girl named Mabel, an animal lover girl who gets the chance to use a new technology that transfers her consciousness into a lifelike robotic animal. She hops into a robotic beaver, which gives her the chance to understand animals.
I like it honestly. I am one of those who enjoy animated movies because of their colorful, creative themes. And I like this movie because it has a good story with a lesson that I think we can all learn from.
The story of this is that humans can be able to "hop" into animals. This is cool because that's what I've always dreamed of. 😆 Can you imagine yourself experiencing the animal world? It's for sure a different way of living.
I think if I had the chance to use it, I would hop into an ant. I'm always amazed at how hardworking they are, so I want to see their world and maybe I can learn how to be that hardworking too. 🤣
The main character here is Mabel, a girl who will do everything she can to save the place that she and her grandma used to love. Since her grandma is gone, she feels that she's the one responsible for taking care of it.
I really liked that side of her. She wasn't the type to simply give up when something she cared about was in danger.
For my favorite character, it's the King Beaver!! He's so helpful to Mabel, and because he's the king, it makes him even more powerful. 😍
On the other hand, the character that made me laugh was the caterpillar. I wanted to squeeze him because he was so cute, but at the same time, I got irritated by how bad his personality was. 😅
One of the funniest parts for me was when the bear was about to eat the beaver. Mabel wasn't used to that, so she immediately interrupted it to save her friend. But in the animal kingdom, that's just how things work. One needs to sacrifice to allow others to live. 😅
The movie isn't just funny and cute. It will also make you think about how we humans treat animals and their homes. We often destroy their natural habitats just to build businesses, houses, and other things for ourselves. So, watching the movie made me realize more about how much animals can suffer because of these changes.
The animation was also really good... Especially the animals and the forest. You can really see the detail. I feel that the animators studied the places and the animals carefully because everything looked so alive.
The part that touched me was when it seemed like Mabel couldn't do anything anymore to save the forest. It felt like she might also have to let go of the memories she had of her grandma. And seeing how many animals could be killed because of construction made that part even more emotional for me. 🥹
As for the ending... I was very satisfied. It felt like a good way to finish Mabel's story and the whole situation with the forest.
Overall... I will definitely recommend Hoppers, especially for kids, families, and animal lovers. I think they will surely enjoy it. 🥰
Rating: 80/100
›Radicalism is always bad: A review from "Hoppers".100@gwajnberg132d
›An afternoon at the movies to enjoy the animated film *Hoppers* [ESP/ENG]@glowshine237d
›Hoppers | Avatar The Last Airbender | Yellowstone | Superman 2 | Bioshock | God of War | Pride & Prejudice | Scary Movie 6 | New series from the creators of The Dark Crystal | Tulsa King | Yellowjackets S4 | Becky 3 | Bride Wars TV remake | G.I. Joe@theradiodemon253d
Comments
No comments yet — be the first.
4 views
5 views
2 views
2 views
Poster from The Movie Database   It isn't new to see a movie or book that the author tries to show critics of society and world politics translated into a movie. Probably Animal Farm by George Orwell is the most classic example of that. But "Hoppers" brought up a topic that has been brought up much and much more that I saw a bit also in the Netflix release this year, "Swapped". A critic to our current extreme b…
As soon as I heard that a new Pixar film was in theaters, I told my partner we had to go see it. We don't often go to the cinema because there aren't any in our town, so most of these trips end up being a few-hour escapade. Both Asia and I don't like going to see films that don't seem compelling enough to us. I know there's something about a cinematic experience, a desire for a sense of scale, but I haven't needed t…
My kids are are not little anymore they are both young adults at this point. So I am old. But I am not too old to still enjoy a high quality kids movie. And let me tell you, Hoppers is just that. In fact, it is one of the most entertaining movies I have seen in a while... period. I don't have to classify Hoppers as just good for a kids movie because it was simply flat out a very funny and entertaining film. I was a…
¡Hola, amigos! Después de varios meses sin ir al cine, mi familia y yo decidimos darle una oportunidad a la última película de Pixar: Hoppers: Operación Castor. Extrañaba bastante ir al cine, pero es que los últimos estrenos no nos habían llamado la atención. Sin embargo, quisimos intentarlo. Afortunadamente, lo pasamos genial. Pixar llevaba varios fracasos y por eso no teníamos mucha fe, pero creo que con esta han…
[The Statement] Ant-Man and several other equally well-known actors will star in Sony's next film. The title is still a rumor. [Bride Wars] The 2009 film starring Anne Hathaway and Kate Hudson will be getting a TV series adaptation, starring the actress known from the Scream franchise. [Becky] We've received information about the third installment. [Hoppers] Pixar's latest film is receiving very positive reviews. Re…
Mabel at the construction site
Mabel in robotic beaver
Mabel with animal kings
Mabel protection mayor
Mabel after saving the habitat
The story of this is that humans can be able to "hop" into animals. This is cool because that's what I've always dreamed of. 😆 Can you imagine yourself experiencing the animal world? It's for sure a different way of living.
I think if I had the chance to use it, I would hop into an ant. I'm always amazed at how hardworking they are, so I want to see their world and maybe I can learn how to be that hardworking too. 🤣
The main character here is Mabel, a girl who will do everything she can to save the place that she and her grandma used to love. Since her grandma is gone, she feels that she's the one responsible for taking care of it.
I really liked that side of her. She wasn't the type to simply give up when something she cared about was in danger.
For my favorite character, it's the King Beaver!! He's so helpful to Mabel, and because he's the king, it makes him even more powerful. 😍
On the other hand, the character that made me laugh was the caterpillar. I wanted to squeeze him because he was so cute, but at the same time, I got irritated by how bad his personality was. 😅
One of the funniest parts for me was when the bear was about to eat the beaver. Mabel wasn't used to that, so she immediately interrupted it to save her friend. But in the animal kingdom, that's just how things work. One needs to sacrifice to allow others to live. 😅
The movie isn't just funny and cute. It will also make you think about how we humans treat animals and their homes. We often destroy their natural habitats just to build businesses, houses, and other things for ourselves. So, watching the movie made me realize more about how much animals can suffer because of these changes.
The animation was also really good... Especially the animals and the forest. You can really see the detail. I feel that the animators studied the places and the animals carefully because everything looked so alive.
The part that touched me was when it seemed like Mabel couldn't do anything anymore to save the forest. It felt like she might also have to let go of the memories she had of her grandma. And seeing how many animals could be killed because of construction made that part even more emotional for me. 🥹
As for the ending... I was very satisfied. It felt like a good way to finish Mabel's story and the whole situation with the forest.
Overall... I will definitely recommend Hoppers, especially for kids, families, and animal lovers. I think they will surely enjoy it. 🥰