Summary
With a Spring 2026 release, there’s still a long way to go in the development of Disney andPixar’supcoming feature filmHoppers. Still, whenever these two studios are involved in a movie, there’s a level of excitement about what can be created. This film is set to focus on scientists discovering how to hop human consciousness into lifelike robotic animals, which will open up all manner of communication. It’s an interesting topic that proves thatHopperscould be another classic in the making,
Hopperswill featureMad MenstarJon Hamm in the lead role, and Pixar is actively working on the film at the moment, but it hasn’t all been smooth sailing. While every movie typically experiences a few bumps in the road,Hoppershas reportedly received bigger ones than most would anticipate.
A former Pixar artist toldThe Hollywood Reporterthat the team behindHopperswas forced todownplay a planned messagesurrounding environmentalism by Disney. They said, “Unfortunately when you have your whole film based around the importance of environmentalism, you can’t really walk back on that. That team struggled a lot to figure out, ‘What do we even do with this note?'”
Hoppershas been involved in a series of Pixar projects that Disney has reportedly been tinkering with and impacting with the upcoming original featureElio, and an episode of the Pixar TV seriesWin or Losehas also been altered due to notes from Disney. However,Hoppersappears to have had the most significant change, consideringthe film’s focus and primary themewere essentially downplayed, which could have had a major impact on the story Pixar was trying to tell. While the film is still going ahead as proof that they’ve successfully pivoted to something else, it remains to be seen whether any of the original environmentalist messages remain.
Environmentalism is an interesting topic that could easily have worked in the world of a Pixar movie. The studios have never shied away fromtouching on serious topicsin the past, which is why the likes ofWALL-E, UP,andInside Outhave all been so successful. They’ve managed to successfully weave mature topics with movies that are still relatable to younger audiences, which is part of the charm of a Pixar film. Environmentalism as a topic being covered in an animated format would’ve followed suit in that respect, and it’s a shame if Pixar has had to stray too far away from that potential message.
It will remain to be seen whether or not Disney’s decision to downplay the theme of the movie will have a negative impact on the overall quality. It’s obvious that Pixar has had to shift gears slightly from the original plan forHoppers, and that’s often a risky situation as the shift in tone can often lead to a story that’s not as strong as the original idea. Fortunately, the creative minds at Pixar aresome of the best in the business, and that should lead to a high-quality product being created regardless of what impact Disney’s decision-makers look to have onHoppers.
