With a big $46-million opening for ‘Hoppers,’ Disney and Pixar see a return to form

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Disney and Pixar‘s new movie, “Hoppers,” was the most popular film at the box office this weekend, which is good news for Disney’s animated movies.

“Hoppers” earned $46 million in ticket sales across the U.S. and Canada, making it the biggest opening weekend for a brand new animated film since “Coco” in 2017, according to the studio. Worldwide, the film has brought in $88 million.

This funny movie tells the story of a young activist who finds a unique way to protect a forest. She transfers her mind into a robotic beaver and teams up with other animals to prevent a freeway from being built through their home.

Daniel Chong, the creator of the Cartoon Network show “We Bare Bears,” also directed the film.

The successful launch of “Hoppers,” combined with the impressive performance of Sony Pictures Animation’s “Goat” last month, suggests audiences are eager to see fresh, original animated movies.

Ever since the pandemic began, animated movie sequels have been much more successful in theaters than brand new animated films. For example, “Zootopia 2” has earned over $1.8 billion worldwide, including more than $426 million in the United States and Canada. The 2024 film “Inside Out 2” from Disney and Pixar has also become a huge hit, earning over $1.6 billion globally.

In comparison, Disney and Pixar’s upcoming 2025 film, “Elio,” earned around $154 million globally at the box office.

As a big Pixar fan, I truly believe original movies are key to their success. They’ve become famous for consistently releasing amazing, groundbreaking films like “Toy Story” and “The Incredibles,” and I really hope they continue to prioritize those kinds of stories. That’s what built their reputation in the first place!

“Scream 7” held strong at the box office, earning $17.3 million during its second weekend in theaters, placing it in second place. Following closely behind were “The Bride!,” “Goat,” and “Wuthering Heights,” completing the top five films, according to Comscore data.

Thanks to a string of successful new movies and continued strong performance from popular films released last year, the box office has had a much better start to the year compared to the disappointing first three months of last year.

According to Comscore, ticket sales in U.S. theaters have increased by over 12% compared to the same period last year.

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2026-03-09 01:01