Daniel Chong, the director of Pixar’s upcoming film Hoppers, sets the record straight about claims of censorship by the studio.Related: REPORT: Disney Scraps New Princess Film After Multiple Box Office FailuresThe first trailer for Pixar’s upcoming film Hoppers is finally here, with the film’s director also setting the record straight regarding the censorship of hot-button issues presented in the film. In an interview with Screen Rant, director Daniel Chong was asked about a piece from The Hollywood Reporter that claimed Pixar had requested the team to “tone down” the themes of environmentalism in the upcoming film.“I did not experience being censored or being told not to do things,” said Chong. The director explained that he felt “alignment” with the rest of Pixar, saying that “every movie here goes through so much iteration and changes a lot.” Chong discussed how it might be easy to feel like things are being censored at Pixar, but he believes that the integrity of Hoppers remains true to his vision. “The things that I wanted this movie to say and to feel are still in the movie, so that’s the best I can say for our process.”Pixar has faced scrutiny over its decision to include various real-world issues in its more recent films, with Turning Red (2022), Lightyear (2022), and most recently, Elio (2025) being some of the studio’s most divisive releases yet. People took issue with the inclusion of a same-sex kiss in Lightyear, while others pushed back against Turning Red being a metaphor for puberty, specifically female puberty.However, Pixar also faced scrutiny for backing down on other hot-button issues, such as LGBTQ+ themes. In late 2024, it was revealed Pixar had cut a transgender character from its original streaming series, Win or Lose. The transgender aspect was cut from the show shortly before its release in February 2025.Credit: PixarRelated: ‘Ahsoka’ Recast: First Look Given of New Leading Character in Season 2Hoppers is Pixar’s latest project, a science fiction adventure in which a young girl named Mabel transports her mind into a robotic beaver as she attempts to communicate with the animal world. The film has several big names attached as voice actors, including John Hamm, Bobby Moynihan, and Piper Cruda.Hoppers was first announced in August 2024 and is set to release on March 6, 2026.Are you excited for Hoppers? What is your favorite Pixar film?The post Pixar Director Denies Censorship of Hot-Button Topics, “The Things I Wanted To Say Are in the Movie” appeared first on Inside the Magic.