Even though Pixar still has the Inside Out 2 wave to ride, the animation studio already has set its eyes on its upcoming projects. Today at D23, the studio announced the title and release date for one of its next titles. Hoppers stars Jon Hamm (The Morning Show), Bobby Moynihan (Saturday Night Live), and Piper Curda (May December) and is set to premiere in Spring 2026.
The story of Hoppers centers around Mabel, a pretty daring girl who has a big ambition: to infiltrate the animal world. In order to do so, she transfers her mind to a robot beaver so she can approach other animals and study the way they live. Of course, the practice will have its share of problems and Mabel will certainly learn a lesson or two in the process. But further details from the story are still kept under wraps.
Hoppers will share a release year with one of Pixar‘s biggest titles: Toy Story 5, which will come out just a few months later. This will make 2026 a rare occasion in which fans get two Pixar titles in the same year. The new title might breathe a new life into a sequel-filled schedule, and maybe even kick off a new franchise if it performs as well as other Pixar titles that became surprise hits.
The Future Is Bright For Pixar
It was a pretty big night for Pixar at D23. Aside from Hoppers, the studio announced a new series that instantly became highly anticipated: Dream Productions will take place between Inside Out and Inside Out 2 and reveal what happens inside Riley’s mind when the girl and her core emotions go to sleep. Additionally, the studio unveiled the release date for its first animated series Win or Lose, and revealed that The Incredibles 3 is already in production.
Before all that happens, however, there’s still a lot of Inside Out 2 celebrations to revel in. The sequel not only became the highest-grossing animated movie ever, but also its performance and popularity signal a major presence at the awards season in 2025. So there’s a lot more good stuff to happen with Pixar‘s most recent release before we even start thinking about future titles.
Disney and Pixar are yet to unveil further details from Hoppers, including additional voice cast members, a specific release date, and a trailer. Considering that it’s a 2026 release, though, it might be a while before we learn more about the upcoming animated movie. In the meantime, you can still see Inside Out 2 in theaters.
via Collider