AceShowbiz - Hoppers has quickly become a notable release for Pixar after a stretch of disappointing box office results. The studio, once known for consistently delivering some of the highest-grossing animated films, has faced a more turbulent decade, especially with recent commercial disappointments like Lightyear and Elio. However, Hoppers has achieved the biggest opening for an original Pixar animated film since 2017’s Coco.

In just over ten days, Hoppers has already outperformed the global earnings of Pixar’s most notorious box office failure. According to Deadline, the film secured its second consecutive weekend at number one domestically, pulling in an estimated $28.5 million this past weekend alone. Its worldwide gross has now reached $164.7 million, surpassing Elio’s total of $154.2 million. This achievement places Hoppers as the third highest-grossing movie worldwide in 2026 so far and the top animated film of the year.

The success of Hoppers comes at an opportune moment for Pixar. With the upcoming release of the highly anticipated sci-fi film Project Hail Mary, which is expected to open around $50 million domestically, Hoppers is well positioned to maintain strong box office numbers. There is currently little direct competition for its key audience—families with young children—until the arrival of The Super Mario Galaxy Movie in a few weeks. This timing allows Hoppers to continue serving as a family-friendly alternative, especially for parents seeking options for younger kids who might not be ready for the PG-13 sci-fi thrills of Project Hail Mary.

This could mark an important year for Pixar in 2026. It may be the first time the studio scores two significant box office hits within the same calendar year. While Pixar has occasionally released two films in a single year before, their success rates have often been mixed. For example, in 2015, Inside Out was a massive hit, grossing $859 million worldwide, whereas The Good Dinosaur underperformed with just $332.2 million. Similarly, 2017 saw Coco earn $823.2 million globally, while Cars 3 landed at a franchise low of $383.9 million. Looking ahead, Pixar is set to release Toy Story 5 later this year, which is widely expected to be a major summer blockbuster and potentially cross the $1 billion mark.

What makes Hoppers particularly significant is not only its box office performance but also its role in demonstrating that audiences remain eager to support Pixar’s original stories. During the pandemic, Pixar’s new releases such as Soul, Luca, and Turning Red primarily found their audiences through Disney+, transitioning Pixar into more of a streaming-focused brand. Hoppers might represent the beginning of a reversal of that trend, with audiences returning to theaters to experience Pixar’s original content on the big screen once again.

It is important to note that while Hoppers is performing well, it is unlikely to reach the blockbuster heights of Pixar’s golden era. This is more a reflection of the current theatrical environment and evolving moviegoing habits than the film’s quality or appeal. The post-pandemic landscape has made it increasingly challenging for original movies to attract large, general audiences, especially given shortened theatrical windows that quickly funnel new releases to streaming platforms.

With a production budget of $150 million, Hoppers still has some ground to cover before becoming profitable. However, its early box office results position it well on that path. After the disappointment of Elio last summer, Pixar has every reason to be pleased with how Hoppers has launched.