Hoppers Box Office & Reviews: Pixar’s New Hit?

Pixar has rebounded with a strong opening weekend for its latest original film, Hoppers, taking the top spot at the domestic box office with an estimated $40 million. The film, a sci-fi adventure centering on a wildlife researcher who transfers her consciousness into a robot beaver and inadvertently sparks an animal revolution, marks the studio’s biggest domestic opening for an original movie since 2017’s Coco.

The success of Hoppers is particularly significant given Pixar’s recent struggles with original animated features. While sequels like those from the Toy Story franchise continue to perform reliably, the studio’s attempts to launch new, non-sequel properties have faced headwinds in recent years. Elemental (2023) ultimately grossed $494 million globally, becoming the highest-grossing original animated film since the start of the pandemic, but it began with a comparatively weak opening weekend. Hoppers’s $40 million debut handily surpasses the openings of Onward ($39.1 million), Elemental ($29.6 million), and Elio ($20.8 million).

The film’s cast includes Meryl Streep, Dave Franco, Jon Hamm, Kathy Najimy, and several current and former Saturday Night Live performers: Bobby Moynihan, Vanessa Bayer, Melissa Villaseñor, and Ego Nwodim. Early word of mouth is strong, with Hoppers earning an A CinemaScore and a 75% “definite recommend” on PostTrak. Notably, children under 12 gave the film a 90% positive rating on PostTrak and a 61% “must-see right away” score, suggesting a strong appeal to its target demographic.

The positive reception to Hoppers is being attributed, in part, to a deliberate shift in Pixar’s creative approach. According to reports, the studio has focused on making its films fun and funny again, a move that appears to be resonating with audiences. One scene in particular – involving the beaver accidentally squishing something – reportedly elicited a strong reaction from the audience at the film’s Hollywood premiere.

However, the weekend wasn’t a complete win for Disney. Maggie Gyllenhaal’s The Bride!, a riff on the Bride of Frankenstein story starring Jessie Buckley and Christian Bale, is projected to earn between $8 and $10 million domestically. This places it significantly behind Hoppers and potentially marks the lowest opening for a Warner Bros. Release since 2024’s The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim. The Bride! also appears to be underperforming internationally, with projected global earnings between $16 and $20 million.

The contrast between the performance of Hoppers and The Bride! highlights a broader trend in the current box office landscape. While original animation, particularly from established brands like Pixar, can still draw audiences, auteur-driven genre films are facing a tougher challenge. The Bride! received a C+ CinemaScore and a low 43% “definite recommend” on Screen Engine/Comscore’s PostTrak, indicating a lack of enthusiasm among moviegoers.

The success of Hoppers is also seen as a positive sign for the broader animation industry, which has been navigating a period of uncertainty in the wake of the pandemic. Sony Pictures Animation’s Goat recently demonstrated the potential for original animated films to succeed, and Hoppers builds on that momentum. The film’s strong opening suggests that audiences are still willing to embrace new animated stories, particularly when they are well-executed and offer a compelling blend of humor and adventure.

Pixar’s return to form with Hoppers is the studio’s 11th highest-grossing original domestic debut, surpassing 2015’s The Good Dinosaur ($39.1 million). While it falls short of the $50.6 million debut of Lightyear, a Toy Story spinoff, it represents a significant step forward for a studio that has been searching for its next big hit. The film’s performance is expected to contribute to an overall domestic box office weekend that is 63% higher than the same period last year.