Pixar's original animated film Hoppers is set for a $40 million opening weekend in the U.S. and Canada, marking a strong performance for the studio's recent originals. In contrast, Warner Bros' The Bride!, directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal, is projecting a disappointing $8 million to $10 million debut despite its $80 million budget. The results highlight differing audience responses to family animation and auteur-driven horror.
The weekend box office, estimated at $91 million domestically, shows a 63% increase from the same period last year. Pixar's Hoppers, playing in 4,000 theaters, earned $13.2 million on Friday after $3.2 million in previews, including $2 million from Thursday night. The film received an A CinemaScore, 75% definite recommend on PostTrak, and 93% on Rotten Tomatoes. Audiences praised its humor and unique animation, with strong appeal to families: 52% general audience, 24% parents, 24% kids under 12. Demographics include 45% Caucasian, 26% Hispanic and Latino, 14% Asian American, 8% Black, and 6% Native American. Premium formats drove 27% of sales, with top performance in South Central, Mountain, and West regions.
Warner Bros' The Bride!, starring Jessie Buckley and Christian Bale in 3,304 theaters, opened with $3 million on Friday for a projected $8 million to $10 million three-day total. Some estimates place it as low as $6.5 million. It earned a C+ CinemaScore, 43% definite recommend on PostTrak, and 61% on Rotten Tomatoes. The audience skewed 53% male, 47% female, with 18-34 year-olds at 56%. Diversity: 51% Caucasian, 26% Latino and Hispanic, 10% Black, 9% Asian American. Global opening is estimated at $16 million to $20 million. Critics were divided; Kyle Smith of The Wall Street Journal called it a 'monster' unleashed by Gyllenhaal, while Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian described it as a 'gangster joyride' elevated by Buckley's performance.
The Bride! faced challenges in post-production pacing and genre expectations as period horror, which is often expensive and divisive. Its release shifted twice, from October 2025 to September, then to March 2026. Industry sources noted the film's aim at sophisticated viewers rather than broad horror fans, amid competition from Netflix's Frankenstein. Hoppers' success revives Pixar's originals after struggles like Elio's $20.8 million opening last year.
Other top films include Scream 7 in second with $16.3 million in its second weekend, and Sony's GOAT in fourth at $6.1 million in week four.
