Pixar’s New Movie Is #1 In America On Disney+ (But There’s A Catch)

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The newest Pixar movie is dominating on Disney+ in the United States, albeit with a unique catch.

Pixar has a long history of successful and popular films, but its recent releases have been less reliable, particularly when it comes to box office numbers. While Inside Out 2 was a critical and commercial triumph – initially becoming the highest-grossing animated film ever with nearly $1.7 billion worldwide (though later surpassed by Ne Zha 2 and Zootopia 2), and still ranking among the top 10 highest-grossing films of all time – the following film, Elio, received positive reviews but didn’t perform well financially, earning $154 million globally despite a production budget of $150 million.

Despite not hitting theaters until March 6th, Pixar’s sneak peek of Hoppers is currently number one on the Disney+ streaming chart in the United States. Viewers can watch a four-minute special featuring footage from the upcoming animated film. Other popular titles in the U.S. top 10 include The Princess and the Frog, Ice Age, Prey, the live-action The Little Mermaid, and Tron: Ares. The Hoppers preview is also doing well internationally, landing in sixth place on Disney+’s global chart.

In the animated film Hoppers, a new technology allows people to transfer their consciousness into the bodies of robotic animals. When 19-year-old Mabel Tanaka (voiced by Piper Curda) finds herself inside a robotic beaver, she unintentionally sparks a revolt by the animals against humans. The film features a star-studded voice cast including Bobby Moynihan, Jon Hamm, Kathy Najimy, Dave Franco, Eduardo Franco, Sam Richardson, Ego Nwodim, Vanessa Bayer, and Meryl Streep. It was directed by Daniel Chong and written by Jesse Andrews, known for his work on Pixar’s Luca.

Despite the huge success of Inside Out 2, which became Pixar’s biggest movie ever, some of their recent films haven’t done as well at the box office. This has led to worries about the studio’s future, considering how successful they used to be. However, the promising response to the four-minute preview of Hoppers – it’s the most-watched movie preview on Disney+ in the U.S. – suggests it might perform better than some of Pixar’s earlier films.

Early estimates suggest “Hoppers” could earn between $40 and $50 million in its opening weekend in the US, which would be a positive turn for Pixar, as their original movies haven’t performed as well recently. The film’s release date of March 6th is also advantageous, with few other family-friendly movies competing for audiences. While Sony’s “GOAT” came out on February 14th, it will have been playing for nearly a month by the time “Hoppers” hits theaters.

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2026-02-22 19:09