Pixar Animation Studios’ newest film, Hoppers, arrives in theaters on March 6, 2026. When it does, movie-goers are in for a hilarious journey to the pond. There, thanks to a new technology, what animals say can be understood! This leads to a hilarious adventure as Mabel becomes part of this community. Ahead of its release, Disney has shared a behind-the-scenes look at this film. As Disney shared, “In the animated comedy, directed by Daniel Chong, scientists at Beaverton University discover how to transfer human consciousness into lifelike robotic wildlife, allowing people to communicate with animals as animals. They call this process ‘hopping.’”

However, as Dr. Sam says in the film, “This is not like Avatar!”

The filmmakers for Hoppers shared that it was important to set  “pond rules.” This explains the differences between animals and humans, as well as the mechanics of “hopping.”

“We wanted to dig into nature and be honest about how intense it can be,” screenwriter Jesse Andrews said. “Early on, we had conversations about, ‘If we’re going to do another animated movie about animals, how can we make it different? What territory feels relatively unexplored?’ Instead of conceiving animals that are simply furry people, we tried to keep them as animalistic as possible, while still making them funny, relatable, and identifiable.”

Disney shared that when Mabel Tanaka (voiced by Piper Curda) enters the equation. She is a passionate, 19-year-old animal lover who is not happy that Mayor Jerry Generazzo (voiced by Jon Hamm) is planning on building a new stretch of highway through a tranquil glade that she frequented with her grandmother. She decides that if she can repopulate the glade with keystone species, this will stop Mayor Jerry’s plans. However, things are always easier said than done. This leads to Mabel using Dr. Sam’s top-secret “hopper” technology to put her mind into the body of a robotic beaver. Now a part of the animal world, Mabel befriends King George (voiced by Bobby Moynihan), who is a jovial beaver, leader of the mammals, and kind of the mammals. He shares three rules with Mabel for the pond that help keep nature in Balance:

• Pond Rule No. 1: “Don’t be a stranger.”
• Pond Rule No. 2: “When you gotta eat, eat.”
• Pond Rule No. 3: “We’re all in this together.”

According to producer Nicole Paradis Grindle, “We didn’t want [the animal characters] to feel like humans in animal suits, and that’s often what storytelling with animals involves. That’s where Pond Rule No. 2 comes from: ‘When you gotta eat, eat.’ We had to address that issue; animals do eat other animals, which makes sense when you explain it as a way of coexisting. I also love that all the animals are really benevolent. Per Pond Rule No. 1, if you know someone’s name, it’s hard to be mad at them. It’s hard to be mad at Diane [a shark, voiced by Vanessa Bayer]. She’s just doing her job. Once you know her name, she’s nice. That’s true of human society. If you get to know individuals, there may be some things that they have to do in order to survive that you might not agree with — but give ’em a chance.”

Of course, things never go as expected. Many of the animals, including King George, don’t meet Mabel’s expectations. This forces her to reconsider who these animals are and how they interact. “King George is in charge, but he’s not, like, a true king; he doesn’t believe he should rule over all,” Moynihan said. “He believes that everyone should be equal. He might be naïve, but he is a good beaver.”

There is a human nature component in this film as well. Mabel cares for all creatures big and small. Dealing with people can be a bit harder for her, and she sometimes loses patience with people. It is easy for her to empathize with the little furry friends, but someone like Mayor Jerry is a bit of a trick. “Mabel is a spitfire,” Curda said. “She wants to make the world a better place, and she’s frustrated with all the things that are stopping her from doing that.”

Conversely, Mayor Jerry “is a very happy guy,” Hamm said. “He’s very good at his job. He’s well-loved by his constituents. He loves his gig. He loves family. You think, ‘OK, this guy has probably got a lot of great ideas.’ Unfortunately, one of them is diametrically opposed to [Mabel’s].” And yet, in some ways, they’re two sides of the same coin. “The arc of their journey is very similar, just from opposite directions,” Hamm explained. “The good thing about that is that they both come to understand that they’re part of a bigger community.”

Hoppers Official Trailer

Hoppers Official Description

What if you could talk to animals and understand what they’re saying? In Disney and Pixar’s all-new feature film “Hoppers,” scientists have discovered how to “hop” human consciousness into lifelike robotic animals, allowing people to communicate with animals as animals!

The adventure introduces Mabel, an animal lover who seizes an opportunity to use the technology, uncovering mysteries within the animal world that are beyond anything she could have imagined. Directed by Daniel Chong and produced by Nicole Paradis Grindle, “Hoppers” features the voices of Piper Curda (“May December”), Bobby Moynihan (“SNL”) and Jon Hamm (“Mad Men,” “Fargo”). The film opens exclusively in theaters in March 6th, 2026.

Are you excited to see Hoppers? What are you most looking forward to with this film? Share your thoughts and opinions in the comments below!