Hoppers is still in theaters and Pixar is already playing games with fans.
The official Pixar Instagram posted a new reel Wednesday with a simple caption: “did anyone else see that?? #Hoppers” – pointing fans back to the movie and the growing conversation around the film’s hidden details.
It’s a timely nudge. Two weeks into its theatrical run, Hoppers has sparked one of the bigger Easter egg hunts in recent Pixar history. The film contains at least six confirmed hidden references to other Pixar movies packed into a single chalkboard shot late in the movie – with nods to Up, WALL-E, Lightyear, Finding Nemo, and more.
Director Daniel Chong confirmed to interviewers that the film includes a Toy Story 5 Easter egg – a new character that had not been publicly announced at the time of the film’s release. Chong described it as a “loaded frame” designed for pause-and-study viewing.
The biggest reveal: the film appears to directly connect the Pixar universe by suggesting Dr. Sam, the scientist behind the hopping technology, also invented the talking dog collar worn by Dug in Up. Pixar producer Nicole Paradis Grindle confirmed that Dr. Sam “did the basic research, necessary.”
It’s the most direct endorsement yet of the long-running fan theory that all Pixar movies exist in a single connected universe.
Hoppers Is Still Performing at the Box Office
Hoppers earned $28.5 million in its second weekend domestically, dropping just 37% from its $45.3 million opening weekend. That’s Pixar’s second-smallest second-weekend drop ever, behind only Inside Out 2.
The film’s global total now stands at $164.7 million after 10 days in theaters, making it the highest-grossing animated film of 2026 worldwide. It surpassed Elio‘s entire global run of $154 million in less than two weeks.
On Rotten Tomatoes, Hoppers holds a 93% critics score with a 94% audience Popcornmeter – Pixar’s best audience score in years.
The film follows Mabel Tanaka (voiced by Piper Curda), a 19-year-old animal lover who transfers her consciousness into a robotic beaver to help protect a forest glade from a development project by Mayor Jerry (Jon Hamm). The voice cast also includes Bobby Moynihan, Meryl Streep, Kathy Najimy, and Dave Franco.
Hoppers is in theaters now. Pixar’s next film, Toy Story 5, arrives June 19, 2026.
Source: Pixar on Instagram
