Steamboat Charlie

Tag: DisneyPixar

  • Hoppers Trailer Breakdown: First Look at Pixar’s 2026 Animal Adventure

    Hoppers Trailer Breakdown: First Look at Pixar’s 2026 Animal Adventure

    Pixar has this week released a brand new teaser trailer for their upcoming 2026 movie Hoppers. The story follows Mabel, a young girl whose consciousness is transferred into a robotic beaver, part of a revolutionary experiment to allow humans to communicate with animals. The trailer offers a hilarious glimpse at what could be Pixar’s next big hit.

    Check out the trailer and read my first thoughts below.

    A Promising Concept with Loads of Potential

    Overall, I love the trailer and it’s got me even more excited to watch Hoppers next year! The concept looks brilliant and the potential for Mabel’s animal communication abilities feels immense. Whilst watching the trailer, I really felt some similarities to films like Open Season and The Wild Robot, mainly due to their setting. It will be interesting to see if more biomes and environments are explored in the movie.

    Animation That Pops – and Contrasts

    The animation too looks excellent, with the fur and hair department doing a great job at making the animals look extremely lifelike. One thing that did really strike me in the trailer was the contrast between the animation style in the human world, versus that of the animal world. In the human world, the characters, particularly Mabel, look like they have taken inspiration from Disney movies like Big Hero 6. In contrast, the animation in the animal world looks more atypical of Pixar movies. It’s great to see Pixar trialling different styles with their upcoming projects.

    Two fluffy, beaver-like animated creatures from Pixar's Hoppers. One is wearing a small gold crown and holding a stick, while the other looks on with a happy expression
    Image Credit: Pixar

    Subtle (and Not-So-Subtle) Easter Eggs

    Of course, it wouldn’t be a Pixar trailer without a few Easter Eggs, and speaking of Big Hero 6, could there be an Easter Egg with Mabel? I’ve already mentioned that her artwork and animation look quite similar to what we see in BH6, but interestingly in one scene, we see the name “TANAKA” embroidered onto Mabel’s jacket. In the Disney+ original series, Baymax!, Baymax befriends an elderly lady named Kiko Tanaka – could this be a relation to Mabel? Pixar-to-Disney Easter Eggs are fairly rare to see, but they do exist.

    Could Mabel have connections to the Big Hero 6 universe? (Image Credit: Pixar)

    One of the more obvious Easter Eggs (if you can even call it that!) in the trailer, is where Mabel describes the mind transfer concept “is like Avatar!”. Typically, Disney and Pixar references to other movies and franchises are much more subtle, so it’s super interesting to see a reference as on the nose as this!

    All in all, the teaser trailer is a brilliant, first look at what we can expect to see from Hoppers – charm, humour and no doubt, a beautiful message at the heart of it all.

    What do you think of the Hoppers teaser trailer? Let me know in the comments.

  • 5 Pixar Shorts You Need to Watch on Disney+

    5 Pixar Shorts You Need to Watch on Disney+

    Pixar rarely ever gets it wrong when it comes to their movies and TV series, and the same can be said for some of the shorts they’ve published over the years. Believe it or not, there are nearly 50 different Pixar shorts available to watch on Disney+, ranging from movie-related spin-offs like Toy Story’s Small Fry, through to Pixar originals like The Adventures of André & Wally B — which was actually Pixar’s first ever production, all the way back in 1984.

    Here are 5 Pixar shorts you need to watch on Disney+:

    Piper (2016)

    Piper is an Academy Award-winning short that released alongside Finding Dory, back in 2016 and honestly, it’s one of my favourite Pixar shorts ever released. The premise is simple; it follows a baby sandpiper learning to overcome fear and feed herself at the shoreline.

    Despite the simple premise, the animation is absolutely breath-taking, with many viewers actually mistaking it for live-action at first glance!

    There’s also an Easter egg where Piper appears in the background of one of the final scenes in Finding Dory — it’s a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moment, but a lovely touch for fans paying close attention. (Pixar hasn’t officially confirmed it’s the same sandpiper, but the resemblance is pretty clear!)

    Bao (2018)

    Bao is a heartwarming story about a lonely Chinese-Canadian mother who gets a second chance at motherhood when one of her handmade dumplings comes to life. Yes, the premise is a little bit quirky that at first you may raise an eyebrow, but by the end you are an emotional wreck.

    It’s a real testament to Pixar that they are able to explore topics like love, parenting and letting go, all through a dumpling!

    Purl (2019)

    Purl is a must watch for anyone who has ever worked in any kind of office environment! It follows a ball of pink yarn (again, stick with it!) who tries to fit in at a toxic, male-dominated corporate office. The tone of Purl is a little edgier than the vast majority of Pixar’s other works, but it does a great job of tackling a number of social issues.

    It’s part of Pixar’s SparkShorts initiative – a platform where studio artists can tell more personal, experimental stories – and this one really hits the mark.

    Kitbull (2019)

    Kitbull is another absolutely fantastic short from Pixar, which is probably more relevant to watch now than ever! Kitbull brings together a fiercely independent stray kitten and an abused pitbull in a story about friendship and healing. As an animal lover, Kitbull really does tug at the heartstrings and I can’t recommend it enough.

    Uniquely, it’s animated in 2D – which is rare for Pixar. With the recently announced Gatto (a new Pixar film set in the world of Luca) also using 2D animation, Kitbull is a great taste of what’s to come.

    Luxo Jr. (1986)

    Of course, I can’t recommend Pixar shorts without mentioning Luxo Jr., starring the studio’s very own mascot. The short follows a curious baby lamp playing with a ball under the watchful eye of its parent.

    It may only be 2 minutes long, but Luxo Jr. is emotionally rich and hugely significant — it’s considered a massive breakthrough in computer animation. It was also the first CGI film ever nominated for an Academy Award, making it a must-watch for animation fans and Disney historians alike.

    Final thoughts

    While Pixar’s incredible feature films get most of the spotlight, their shorts are equally powerful, offering compact, creative storytelling packed with emotion and artistry. Whether you’ve only seen a few or you’re deep-diving into the full library, these five are a great place to start.

    What’s your favourite Pixar short? Let me know in the comments!

  • Pixar Announces New Film “Gatto” Plus First Looks at Toy Story 5 & Hoppers

    Pixar Announces New Film “Gatto” Plus First Looks at Toy Story 5 & Hoppers

    Pixar surprised fans on social media yesterday with a major announcement: a new film set in the world of Luca, plus new images and concept art for their upcoming projects.

    New Pixar Movie Gatto Announced!

    An animated black cat with bright green eyes named Nero, walking on a stone staircase in a colorful Italian city scene with canals and historic buildings, from Pixar's Gatto.
    Image Credit: Pixar

    Slated to arrive in cinemas in 2027, Gatto comes from Luca director Enrico Casarosa and returns to Italy, whilst following a black cat named Nero. Pixar’s post states that Nero is “Indebted to a feline mob boss, he finds himself forced to forge an unexpected friendship that may finally lead him to his purpose…”.

    I’m thrilled we’re heading back to the world of Luca! I’ve always felt the film flew under the radar due to its pandemic release, but I also like the fact that Gatto is a completely new original story, set in the world of Luca, rather than a direct sequel. I wonder if Nero will cross paths with Machiavelli, Giulia’s dads cat?

    The image released alongside of the announcement shows the main character Nero exploring the streets of what looks to be Venice. At first glance, the image looks like concept art — but it’s actually the final animation style of the entire movie! This is super refreshing to see and credit to Pixar for trying something new.

    The whole concept of a main cat protagonist in an animated movie is especially interesting, given that earlier this year the animated movie Flow won the Academy Award, as well as countless other awards. It may just be a coincidence, but those animated movie cat lovers out there are in for a treat!

    New Image From Hoppers

    Two fluffy, beaver-like animated creatures from Pixar's Hoppers. One is wearing a small gold crown and holding a stick, while the other looks on with a happy expression
    Image Credit: Pixar

    Pixar also released a brand new image from Hoppers, an upcoming Pixar film scheduled for release in March 2026. The image shows two joyful-looking beaver-like creatures, one wearing a crown and holding a stick. Whilst we don’t know a great deal about Hoppers just yet, the Pixar website states that the basic premise is that ‘scientists have discovered how to “hop” human consciousness into lifelike robotic animals, allowing people to communicate with animals as animals!’.

    Of course, the new image doesn’t reveal much in terms of plot, but I must say, the animation looks fantastic. Just look at how fluffy the beavers’ fur is!

    New Concept Art Image From Toy Story 5

    Concept art from Pixar's Toy Story 5 showing Buzz Lightyear, Jessie the Cowgirl, and Bullseye the horse looking at a large, green frog-shaped tablet displaying chat messages.
    Image Credit: Pixar

    Toy Story 5 is also set for a 2026 release, and Pixar has released a concept art image. The image depicts Buzz, Jessie and Bullseye facing off with a tablet, which again coincides with what we know about the premise of Toy Story 5: ‘it’s Toy meets Tech’. Again, the image doesn’t really give us anything more than what we already know, but it’s another sign that we’re edging ever closer to seeing Woody, Buzz and the gang back together!

    Which upcoming Pixar film are you most excited for? Let me know in the comments.