Five animated blockbusters are set to dominate screens in 2025, but industry insiders are buzzing about one particular film that promises to deliver the year’s wildest adventure. While established franchises like “The Bad Guys 2” and “Zootopia 2” continue their successful trajectories, a mysterious new contender featuring a runaway train, rogue pets, and a vengeful badger has captured the attention of animation aficionados.
Amid 2025’s animated lineup, a bizarre new tale of runaway trains and vengeful badgers threatens to derail expectations.
This peculiar animated romp, rumored to be one of the “new IPs” mentioned in studio slates as “Hoppers,” combines the animal-centric storytelling that viewers have embraced in recent years with an apparently chaotic transportation disaster narrative. Sources familiar with the production suggest the film will leverage themes of emotional intelligence—a trend identified across 2025’s animation landscape—while wrapping them in an adrenaline-fueled package that studio execs hope will appeal to both children and their screen-weary parents. Like many authentic storytelling successes in independent cinema, the film aims to connect with audiences through genuine character experiences and raw emotions.
The voice cast remains under wraps, though casting patterns for major 2025 releases indicate a likely mix of established A-listers (in the vein of Sam Rockwell and Awkwafina for “The Bad Guys 2”) alongside fresh talent. The director reportedly hails from the indie animation scene, following the industry’s growing practice of recruiting visionaries with distinct styles to helm commercial projects. This approach mirrors the success of Travis Knight directing LAIKA’s sixth feature “Wildwood,” which features an impressive voice cast including Mahershala Ali.
While “Toy Story 5” tackles children’s obsession with electronics and “The Colors Within” explores emotional perception, this train-and-badger adventure appears poised to carve out its own niche through sheer sensory overload and narrative unpredictability. The film’s narrative might draw inspiration from the upcoming “Frozen III” where Elsa and Anna embark on another adventure with friends. The film’s summer release date positions it against heavyweight sequels, a gutsy move that suggests studio confidence in its appeal.
Animation technology continues its relentless advancement, and insiders hint that this film employs cutting-edge techniques to render fur physics and locomotive destruction with unprecedented realism.
Whether this bizarre concoction of transportation mayhem and animal vendettas connects with audiences remains to be seen, but it certainly stands out in a landscape increasingly dominated by familiar franchises and established IPs.