Over the years, we’ve seen some imaginative, entertaining, and fun films delivered by Pixar. They seems to craft some beautiful and deep worlds that draw in viewers. That rich legacy continues this year with not one but two releases. The first of those is the original film Hoppers, which opens on Friday.

The film focuses on a young woman who is driven around a mission. That mission ties into her past and takes her on a wild journey. And we go along for the ride with her. It’s also a not-so-subtle nod to another film idea that gets name-checked along the way.

We first meet Mabel as a young girl who is stricken about the animals kept in cages at her elementary school. She tries to free them, but it doesn’t work out. She’s sent home, and eventually dropped off with her grandmother (Karen Huie). There, she learns to sit back and appreciate the beauty of nature in a new way.

Flash-forward to the present, and Mabel (Piper Curda) is a 19-year-old woman who is in college but is still obsessed with preserving the nature area near her grandmother’s home that was her favorite place growing up. She’s battling the town’s mayor, Jerry (Jon Hamm), who wants to bulldoze it to build a new highway.

She learns her professor (Kathy Najimy) has developed a technology that drops users into the electronic bodies of animals to allow them to communicate. She quickly drops herself into a beaver and heads out to find animals that will help repopulate her pond and save it from destruction.

Soon, she meets King George (Bobby Moynihan), a beaver and leader of the mammals. She dives deep into the world, forming a friendship she doesn’t expect. But can she accomplish her mission in time.

If you’re thinking to yourself this plot sounds suspiciously like Avatar, you’re not alone. It’s a connection the film even references and dismisses itself. It does take on that idea, in a way, but puts a uniquely Pixar twist on things. This is really about family, the people who believe in us, and finding friendship and understanding.

It’s a fun journey that has some unexpected moments. I really loved Curda and Moynihan, who are the heart of the film. Their back-and-forth and friendship is the key to the film. But there’s also some fun sequences and plenty of fun story twists along the way.

The voice cast is strong here. Meryl Streep, Dave Franco, Sam Richardson, Vanessa Bayer, and the late Isiah Whitlock, Jr., are among the others in the voice cast. All do a nice job and add to the wonder of the production. The film is directed by Daniel Chong, who co-wrote the script with Jesse Andrews. I loved the story, the look, and the way this moves along.

Animated films, when done well, have a universal appeal across age groups. While this film will work well for younger viewers, the idea and the stories will appeal and hit home for older viewers. I enjoyed the experience a lot as this is the best animated feature released so far in 2026 and one of the better recent Pixar films. It’s worth seeking out.

Hoppers opens nationwide on Friday, March 6.

Matthew Fox is a graduate of the Radio, Television and Film program at Biola University, and a giant nerd. He spends his free time watching movies, TV, and obsessing about football. He is a member of the FSWA. You can find him @knighthawk7734 on Twitter and as co-host of the Fantasy Football Roundtable Podcast.