We jumped at the chance to speak with the Pixar people behind the animated film Hoppers, as well as speak with some of the cast who lend their voices (and more) to the lovable new characters. Sam Bateman was our man at the centre of all the chaos.
At the centre of Hoppers is Mabel (voiced by Piper Curda), an animal-loving teen who leaps at the chance to use a groundbreaking technology allowing her to “hop” her consciousness into a life-like robotic beaver. For the first time, Mabel can communicate directly with the animal kingdom—and what begins as a dream opportunity quickly spirals into a hilarious, high-stakes adventure. As she uses her new avatar to explore Beaverton, Mabel uncovers surprising mysteries within the animal world that are far stranger—and more dangerous—than she ever anticipated.
Dave Franco talks about voicing one of the most chaotic characters in Hoppers — a caterpillar who eventually transforms into a butterfly.
In this fun interview, Dave reveals how he approached the manic energy of the role, why he ended every recording session drenched in sweat, and what it’s really like recording an animated film when you’re usually alone in the booth. He also shares why he still hasn’t met his on-screen mum… Meryl Streep!
Piper Curda and Bobby Moynihan bring the chaos, comedy and huge energy as they talk about voicing their characters in Hoppers.
The pair discuss what it was like bringing their high-energy performances into the recording booth, how director Daniel Chong pushed them creatively, and why working on a film with Pixar still feels surreal.
They also reveal their favourite Pixar movies — including Coco and Ratatouille — and talk about why animated films are so good at tackling big emotional themes while still being accessible for younger audiences.
And of course, things get wonderfully weird when they’re asked which animal they’d “hop into” in real life…
Director Daniel Chong and producer Nicole Paradis Grindle sit down to discuss the creation of Hoppers and the surprising journey that led to the animated adventure becoming Pixar’s next big film.
They talk about how the idea was chosen during development at Pixar, the six-year process of building the movie, and the creative collaboration required to bring a story like this to life. Daniel also reveals the very different early concept for the film — including the hilarious original idea nicknamed “Penguin Avatar”.
The pair also discuss the deeper themes within Hoppers, from humanity’s relationship with nature to the idea that humans and animals are more connected than we might think.
Hoppers is out in UK Cinemas TODAY! Hop to it.
