Director Daniel Chong is nearing the worldwide release of Disney and Pixar’s Hoppers, his second feature film after 2020’s We Bare Bears: The Movie. Chong is already well-known at Pixar, having worked on nine of their previous films and as a member of their Senior Creative Team for the past four years.
Since this is Peter Sohn’s first time directing a Pixar film, audiences will be interested in how he approached making the company’s 30th movie. In a conversation with Joe Deckelmeier from MovieWeb, Sohn described the process as very visual and collaborative. He explained that a key part of development was working through the humor, using comedy to build the story. This focus on laughter was crucial, as Sohn noted that the team’s own amusement directly translated to the film.
As a movie fan, I always appreciate a good creative process, and what we had was really special. We were super collaborative, but very visual – we’d basically sketch out the jokes as much as talk about them. People definitely pitched ideas verbally, and we’d laugh, but a huge part of it was having storyboard artists right there with the writer and me, bouncing funny ideas off each other. We built this really safe, fun environment where everyone felt comfortable pitching even the wildest stuff. It honestly felt like an improv session! When you’re genuinely having fun and laughing together, I think that energy just translates onto the screen. We just had a blast working like that, and I think that’s a big reason why the movie has the tone it does.
The Classic Pixar Comedy in ‘Hoppers’
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Disney and Pixar are famous for their hilarious films, like the adventures of the characters in Toy Story, the funny situations in Monsters, Inc., and the memorable Dory from Finding Nemo and Finding Dory. Their new film, Hoppers, promises the same kind of comedy, particularly because it’s set in a world rarely seen by people. The story centers around Mabel Tanaka, a young scientist who works with a team developing technology that lets people transfer their minds into robotic animal bodies, allowing them to connect with the natural world.
The voice cast for Hoppers is packed with comedy stars, including Saturday Night Live alums Bobby Moynihan and Vanessa Bayer, and the always-hilarious Jon Hamm. Combined with Pixar’s reputation for funny movies, the actors and writers were free to deliver their best jokes and create a truly funny story.
The addition of talking animals will definitely boost the comedy in this film, as Chong and his team are delivering their best work with this new cast of characters – both heroes and villains. We’ve already gotten a sneak peek at the humor in the trailers, and audiences can expect even more laughs as the release of Hoppers approaches.
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Hoppers will be in theaters on Mar. 6, and tickets are available for purchase now.
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2026-02-01 17:02