When I joined a select group of journalists to cover Hoppers at the Pixar campus in Emeryville, CA, we did not expect to see Daniel Chong’s film in its entirety. One of the biggest surprises, though, was learning that Grammy Award-winning artist SZA would be performing the film’s end credits song, “Save The Day.”
Continue reading “How SZA’s “Save The Day” Captures a Generation Trying to Change the World”
When it comes to animated originals, few studios do it like Pixar. Their best films keep raising the bar. So when something like Hoppers comes along, you do not just hope it is good. You hope it delivers the kind of craft and storytelling that reminds you why Pixar is still the gold standard. And Hoppers does exactly that. It pairs humorous chaos with emotionally resonant storytelling, memorable characters, and astonishing visuals, while exploring timely ideas about anger, powerlessness, and empathy without ever losing its heart.
Continue reading “Pixar’s ‘Hoppers’ is a Hilarious Avatar Riff That Gets Surprisingly Real”
In Disney and Pixar’s Hoppers, Piper Curda voices Mabel, a passionate animal lover who ferociously follows her heart. She cares deeply for creatures both big and small, though her patience for humankind occasionally wears thin. For Curda, the key was figuring out what kept Mabel consistent, even when the story’s chaos kept escalating.
Continue reading “‘Hoppers’ Star Piper Curda Talks Heart, Humor, and Mabel’s Playlist”
Those familiar with Daniel Chong’s We Bare Bears know that his storytelling and visual style thrive on emotional sincerity wrapped in playful absurdity. Hoppers, his feature directorial debut, is an expansion of those principles. During our visit to Pixar’s campus, we learned more about his jump from 2D to 3D and what it took to bring SZA on board for the film’s end credits song.
Continue reading “‘Hoppers’ Director Daniel Chong on 3D Animation and Landing SZA”
Hoppers, directed by We Bare Bears creator Daniel Chong, doesn’t feel like a traditional Pixar film by any stretch of the imagination. And that’s what makes it so appealing. This wild and unpredictable film riffs on Avatar, Mission: Impossible, and Frogs, never loses control of its own madness, and delivers something heartfelt and timely for the masses.
Continue reading “Inside the Unexpected Inspirations of Pixar’s ‘Hoppers’”
Disney and Pixar have released the first trailer for Hoppers. Written and directed by Daniel Chong (We Bare Bears), the forthcoming animated film stars Piper Curda as Mabel, an animal lover who jumps at the chance to “hop” human consciousness into lifelike robotic animals, letting people talk to animals by becoming one themselves.
Continue reading “Director Daniel Chong on Hopping from ‘We Bare Bears’ to Pixar Feature Debut”