Disney’s New Movie Unlocks Pixar’s All-Time Elite Rotten Tomatoes List

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Disney’s new movie is bouncing to the higher-end of Pixar’s Rotten Tomatoes charts.

Pixar’s new movie, Hoppers, tells the story of Mabel (Piper Curda), a girl whose brain is placed inside a robotic beaver. She must use her new form to protect a forest from destruction by humans. It’s a wild and creative idea, drawing comparisons to Disney’s Avatar, but with Pixar’s signature heartwarming touch.

With audiences now having seen the film, Hoppers currently boasts a strong 94% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. If this holds, it would tie with Toy Story 4, Coco, and Inside Out 2 for the second-highest audience approval rating for a Pixar movie. Only the 2020 film Onward, with 95%, has a higher score. Still, Hoppers would become one of the top 5 Pixar films most loved by audiences.

Critics are already loving the new film, with reviews from Hoppers highlighting its clever dark humor, positive message, and unique style. Many believe it could be a strong return to form for Pixar, which hasn’t consistently impressed with original stories in recent years. Currently, the film boasts a 94% critics’ score on Hoppers, making it one of Pixar’s best-received original movies.

Highest-Rated Pixar Movies Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score Rotten Tomatoes Critics’ Score
Onward (2020) 95% 88%
Toy Story 4 (2019) 94% 96%
Inside Out 2 (2024) 94% 91%
Coco (2018) 94% 97%
Hoppers (2026) 94% 94%

Many are calling Pixar’s upcoming 2026 film a return to form for the studio. For years, Pixar consistently released both critically acclaimed and financially successful movies. However, starting in 2020, the studio faced difficulties. The pandemic led to films like Soul and Luca being released directly on Disney+. Even after theaters reopened, newer movies such as Elio and Lightyear didn’t perform well at the box office.

Pixar built its reputation on films with meaningful life lessons, but lately, some viewers felt their movies had become too preachy, prioritizing social and political messages over storytelling. However, Hoppers returns to what made Pixar special, addressing climate change with a touching and emotionally resonant story.

Pixar took a risk with its latest film at a crucial moment. According to the Wall Street Journal, Pixar’s head, Pete Docter, had previously voiced concerns about the quality of their recent movies. He explained that going forward, the studio will focus on creating stories that everyone can connect with, saying, “My job is to ensure our films appeal to a broad audience.”

Even with a large $150 million budget, the new movie Hoppers is off to a great start, boosted by positive early reviews. It’s currently the top movie in the country, surpassing Maggie Gyllenhaal’s The Bride! Experts predict it will earn around $40 million during its opening weekend, making it one of Pixar’s strongest releases since Coco in 2018.

Pixar is off to a strong start, and 2026 looks promising. They’re releasing the fifth Toy Story movie this June, and because it’s such a popular franchise, it’s expected to be a big success, particularly with its new storyline involving smart technology. But they aren’t stopping there! Sequels to Coco, The Incredibles, and Monsters, Inc. are also in development, and they have a brand new original film, Gatto, planned for release in 2027.

Pixar appears to be back on track, and Hoppers may be the film that restored its reputation. The movie stars Curda, along with Bobby Moynihan, Jon Hamm, Kathy Najimy, Dave Franco, and Meryl Streep. Daniel Chong directed his first Pixar feature after contributing to the creative teams behind films like Elio and Inside Out 2.

Hoppers is now playing in theaters.

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2026-03-08 06:29