It’s unusual for a movie character to become a popular meme before people know what movie they’re in, but that’s exactly what happened with Tom the Lizard, ahead of the release of Disney-Pixar’s Hoppers. The movie is finally coming out next week, but Tom first went viral after a short clip was shown after the credits of last year’s Pixar film, Elio. The clip featured a lizard tapping the lizard emoji on a phone while a voice repeatedly said “Lizard,” and it quickly spread online – all before anyone realized it was a preview for an upcoming film.
In a recent interview with Comic Book, the team behind Pixar’s upcoming film, Hoppers, discussed which character they believe will be the breakout favorite with audiences. As is typical with Pixar films, there’s usually one character that quickly becomes a fan favorite. Director Daniel Chong revealed that character is already clear: it’s Tom, the lizard. He gained a lot of popularity even before the movie’s release!
Chong explained how Tom the Lizard became so popular, sharing that they quickly realized he was a standout character. During early test screenings, audience members consistently favored Tom the Lizard over other characters, signaling his potential long before he became a viral meme sensation.
Even before Tom became a popular meme, we suspected he’d be a hit with audiences. We showed an unfinished version of the movie to a test group and asked who their favorite character was. Surprisingly, almost everyone – kids and adults alike – immediately said Tom! This was remarkable because he hadn’t been in the movie much yet. We’d done similar previews before, and people usually favored King George or Mabel, but Tom instantly became the standout favorite. Then, about a month later, he went viral, confirming our initial feeling.
Despite the fact that fans have seen a lot of Tom the Lizard in TikTok videos over the last seven months, Chong remains confident they’ll still enjoy the full film when it’s released.
People are going to love his performance. He’ll absolutely shine in the movie and give fans exactly what they expect from Tom – he’s sure to be a crowd-pleaser.
Hoppers, featuring Tom the Lizard, arrives in theaters on March 6.
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2026-02-25 20:44