Pixar’s “Hoppers” delivered a much-needed win for the animation studio this weekend, soaring to a domestic box office debut of $46 million. The film marks the biggest opening for an original animated picture in nearly a decade, signaling a potential return to form for the studio after a string of underperforming original titles. Meanwhile, Warner Bros. Experienced a stark contrast in fortunes with Maggie Gyllenhaal’s “The Bride!,” which stumbled at the box office with a disappointing $7.3 million opening.
The success of “Hoppers” is particularly noteworthy given the current landscape of animated film releases. The film garnered a 94% score on Rotten Tomatoes, mirroring its audience score and received an A CinemaScore and a perfect five-out-of-five stars on PostTrak exits, indicating strong positive reception from both critics and moviegoers. The film’s global debut reached $88 million, combining the $46 million domestic haul with $42 million internationally.
The weekend’s box office results presented a dramatic reversal of fortune for Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group, led by co-chairs and CEOs Michael De Luca and Pamela Abdy. Having enjoyed a year of significant successes in 2025, including the near-$1 billion box office performance of “A Minecraft Movie” and the critically acclaimed “Sinners,” the studio faced a setback with the poor performance of “The Bride!”. Warner Bros. Achieved a $4 billion-plus global box office year in 2025, their best since 2019, and secured 30 Oscar nominations in 2026, the most for any studio.
‘The Bride!’ Fails to Ignite
“The Bride!,” directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal, was projected to open to $16 million or more, but ultimately fell far short of expectations. The film earned $6.3 million overseas, bringing its worldwide debut to a meager $13 million. The disappointing results come after lukewarm reviews and audience scores, suggesting a lack of broad appeal.
Scream 7 Continues to Perform
Elsewhere at the box office, Spyglass and Paramount’s “Scream 7” secured the second-place domestic spot despite a significant drop of 72% or more in its second weekend, earning $17.1 million. Internationally, the film added $15.6 million, bringing its global cumulative earnings to nearly $150 million after ten days.
Warner Bros. Navigates Shifting Fortunes
The contrasting performances of “Hoppers” and “The Bride!” highlight the challenges of the current film market. De Luca and Abdy, who recently had their contracts renewed by Warner Bros. Discovery, have demonstrated a willingness to take risks on auteur-driven projects, but the results have been mixed. The studio’s success in 2025 was built on a diverse slate of films, including blockbusters and critically acclaimed dramas, but “The Bride!”’s failure underscores the importance of audience reception.
The success of “Hoppers” is a positive sign for Pixar, which had faced concerns about its ability to consistently deliver original, commercially successful films. The film’s strong opening suggests that audiences are still eager for innovative and well-crafted animated stories.
Looking ahead, the box office landscape will continue to be shaped by a variety of factors, including the release of major franchise installments and the evolving preferences of moviegoers. The performance of upcoming films will be closely watched as studios navigate the challenges and opportunities of the post-pandemic film market.
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