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”
Disney and Pixar have released the newest trailer for Toy Story 5, and it feels like the franchise is stepping into something very real. Not another collector’s item. Not a daycare disaster. This time, the toys are up against technology in the form of a cute green frog tablet named Lilypad (Greta Lee)
Continue reading “‘Toy Story 5’ Trailer Reveals How Woody Returns to Save the Day”
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’”
Halloween at Disneyland and Disney California Adventure Park is one of the resort’s most beloved annual traditions, drawing families, Disney fans, and Halloween lovers from near and far with spooky fun, frightful eats and treats, and costumed characters galore. From ghoulishly good eats to after-dark thrills, the magic is only just beginning.
Continue reading “Halloween Comes Alive at Disneyland and Disney California Adventure Park”
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”
Growing up with Pixar means growing up with stories that shape us. From Toy Story to Inside Out, the studio has built a legacy of emotionally resonant, visually stunning films that speak to audiences of all ages. Now, with Elio, Pixar introduces a brand-new original story that explores loneliness, identity, and belonging — through the eyes of a child who longs for connection and finds it in the most unlikely of places: space.
Continue reading “Pixar’s ‘Elio’ Turns First Contact Into an Emotionally Rich Feel Trip”
In Elio, production design and visual effects aren’t just technical tools, they’re essential to storytelling. While character design conveys emotion, it’s the sets and lighting that shape the world around which helps create a believable and immersive atmosphere that deepens the audience’s emotional connection with the characters they see.
Continue reading “How Pixar Used VR and the College Project to Build the Dazzling World of ‘Elio’”
For Pixar’s Elio, artist Jasmine Derry stepped into uncharted creative territory through the studio’s unconventional “College Project” approach — a departure from the traditional animation pipeline. As a Simulation Technical Director, Derry worked on bringing Elio’s cape to life, blending physics and emotion to elevate the character’s performance.
Continue reading “Jasmine Derry on Bringing ‘Elio’ to Life Through Innovation and Representation”
Pixar has always been a story-first studio. They prioritize strong narratives, character development, and emotional impact over animation. As such, their films resonate on a deeply human level, no matter how fantastical the setting or plot. This approach fits perfectly with Elio, a film about an 11-year-old Latinx boy who struggles with the anxieties of loneliness and embarks on a journey of connection in an intergalactic world.
Continue reading “‘Elio’ Footage Navigates Loneliness with a Heartfelt Cosmic Adventure”
Disney and Pixar have released the final trailer for Elio. We’ll have a lot of coverage about the film in the coming weeks leading up to its release. So, expect behind-the-scenes insights, interviews with the creative team, and deep dives into the story, characters, and visual design.
Continue reading “‘Elio’ Trailer Reveals What Happens When Universe Finally Calls Back”
Pixar’s Elio is a bold, imaginative adventure about a young boy who’s never quite felt at home on Earth, until his wish to be abducted comes true. Suddenly named humanity’s ambassador to an alien civilization, Elio embarks on a visually stunning, emotionally rich journey through space that explores identity, family, and belonging.
Continue reading “‘Elio’ Directors Domee Shi and Madeline Sharafian on Reimagining Sci-Fi”
Coco 2 is officially confirmed. The animated musical that celebrated the Day of the Dead won two Academy Awards for best animated feature and best original song (“Remember Me”) is in the early stages of development. Disney CEO Bob Iger made the reveal during an investment meeting with shareholders. He also announced that the film reunites Coco director Lee Unkrich and Co-Director Adrian Molina, and they will be joined by Oscar-winning producer Mark Nielsen (Toy Story 4, Inside Out 2).
Continue reading “Disney and Pixar Announce ‘Coco 2’ is in Development”
Disney has released a new trailer for Pixar’s Elio, an intergalactic tale about a young outcast who dreams of finding a friend up in the stars. Directed by Madeline Sharafian (Burrow Sparkshort), Domee Shi (Bao short, Turning Red), and Adrian Molina (co-screenwriter/co-director of Coco), the upcoming film marks the studio’s return to space-age adventures, a first since Wall-E.
Continue reading “‘Elio’ Trailer Teases Finding Friendship Among the Stars”
At first glance, Disney Pixar’s Win or Lose looks very similar to the popular award-winning films Inside Out and Inside Out 2, centering on the emotions of tweens and teens and their stories as their softball championship game approaches. Yet, it doesn’t just focus on the children on the team but also their parents and the adults around them as they deal with real-life problems like love, heartbreak, dating, parenthood, and still trying to figure things out. Spoilers follow.
Continue reading “Disney Pixar’s ‘Win or Lose’ Feels Like a Stalemate”
Pixar’s Dream Productions is a brand new four-episode series that bridges the gap between Inside Out and Inside Out 2. The new docu-style animated series is in the same vein as The Office and What We Do In Shadows but explores the inner workings of Riley’s mind through the lens of moviemaking. The result is something that is fun and sweet while remaining grounded through real-world research on dreams.
Continue reading “Pixar’s ‘Dream Productions’ Has Fun Satirizing Filmmaking in the World of ‘Inside Out’”
Pixar’s Dream Productions is a return of the world of Inside Out and the mind of Riley, a newly minted teenager. The new four-episode series takes a look at what happens when Riley’s memories need some extra processing and how Joy and the core emotions send those memories to Dream Productions.
Continue reading “‘Dream Productions’ Cast and Crew Talk Pixar’s Mocumentary Animated Series”
Pixar’s Inside Out 2 is the highest-grossing film of all time. Having earned over $1.6 billion at the box office last summer, the sequel is finally making its way into our homes with its Blu-ray release, and a Disney+ debut later this month.
Continue reading “Kensington Tallman, Sumayyah Nuriddin-Green, and Grace Lu on Being a Part of ‘Inside Out 2’”
For years, Pixar Animation Studios has released theatrical features, made for TV films, and animated shorts. Some of the titles ended up winning major awards. And the studios commitment to delivering quality storytelling and innovative animation continues as they prepare to release Dream Productions and Win or Lose, their first long-form animated series, exclusively on Disney later this year.
Continue reading “Disney Announces Release Dates for Pixar’s ‘Dream Productions’ and ‘Win or Lose’”
It’s no exaggeration to say that Up is, perhaps, one of the best animated features ever created. Featuring a completely original story with a beautiful heart at its center, Carl Fredrickson, Russell, Dug, Kevin, and Ellie became legendary characters in the pantheon of Pixar and Disney protagonists. And now, 15 years after its release, BoxLunch is commemorating this classic with an all new line of merchandise inspired by the legacy of the movie.
Continue reading “Celebrate the 15th Anniversary of Pixar’s ‘Up’ with BoxLunch”
Inside Out 2′s themes can best be encapsulated by its use of The Linda Lindas’ hit song, “Growing Up.” The song is a perfect anthem for teenagers trying to make sense of a world that’s messy and full of uncertainty, and how friendships and outlets help get through those struggles of finding your identity, fitting in, and the pressures of meeting self-imposed expectations.
Continue reading “‘Inside Out 2’ Makes Sense of Being a Teenager By Using Heart, Humor, and Lots of Color”