The weights and per-film scores are published below. Want a family-rotation pick over a critical darling? Re-weight rewatchability and the order shifts.
Smarter Ranking scored seven animated features released in 2026 against a published 100-point Watch Score. Animation craft leads the rubric.
Quick answer
Hoppers scores 88.0/100 and leads the field — Pixar’s original body-swap comedy notched the best opening weekend for an original animated film since Coco and earned strong reviews. If you want the year’s box-office juggernaut, the runner-up — The Super Mario Galaxy Movie at 84.8, which pushed the franchise past $2 billion — is the pick.
The ranking
| Rank | Film | Best for | Studio | Watch Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hoppers | Original comedy | Pixar | 88.0 |
| 2 | The Super Mario Galaxy Movie | Family blockbuster | Illumination/Nintendo | 84.8 |
| 3 | Avatar: Aang animated film | Franchise fantasy | Nickelodeon | 83.6 |
| 4 | GOAT | Sports comedy | Sony Animation | 82.0 |
| 5 | Doraemon: Castle of the Undersea Devil | Family adventure | Shin-Ei | 81.4 |
| 6 | Boonie Bears: The Hidden Protector | Family adventure | Fantawild | 79.8 |
| 7 | Zootopia 2 | Buddy comedy | Disney | 84.2 |
Titles verified via Wikipedia, ScreenRant, and Animation Magazine.
Methodology
The full rubric. Weights sum to 100. Each film scored 0–100 per criterion; the weighted average is the Watch Score.
| Criterion | Weight | What we measured |
|---|---|---|
| Animation craft | 30 | Technical and artistic execution, design, motion. |
| Writing & story | 25 | Plot, character, emotional payoff. |
| Critical & audience reception | 20 | Aggregate critic scores plus audience signal. |
| Rewatchability | 15 | Family-rotation and repeat-viewing reward. |
| Voice performances | 10 | Vocal casting and delivery. |
| Total | 100 |
Craft leads at 30; writing 25; reception 20; rewatch 15; voice 10.
Per-film profiles
1. Hoppers — 88.0/100
Pixar’s original comedy about a teen who uses Avatar-like tech to pose as a beaver, with the best original-animation opening since Coco.
| Criterion | Score | Weight | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Animation craft | 90 | 30 | 27.0 |
| Writing & story | 87 | 25 | 21.75 |
| Critical & audience reception | 88 | 20 | 17.6 |
| Rewatchability | 86 | 15 | 12.9 |
| Voice performances | 87 | 10 | 8.7 |
| Total | 100 | 88.0 |
Trade-off: a familiar Pixar emotional template under the novel premise.
2. The Super Mario Galaxy Movie — 84.8/100
The Mario sequel that pushed the franchise past $2 billion, becoming the first video-game film franchise to reach the milestone.
| Criterion | Score | Weight | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Animation craft | 88 | 30 | 26.4 |
| Writing & story | 80 | 25 | 20.0 |
| Critical & audience reception | 84 | 20 | 16.8 |
| Rewatchability | 89 | 15 | 13.35 |
| Voice performances | 83 | 10 | 8.3 |
| Total | 100 | 84.8 |
Trade-off: spectacle over depth.
3. Zootopia 2 — 84.2/100
Disney’s buddy-comedy sequel, a major 2026 family release.
| Criterion | Score | Weight | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Animation craft | 87 | 30 | 26.1 |
| Writing & story | 82 | 25 | 20.5 |
| Critical & audience reception | 83 | 20 | 16.6 |
| Rewatchability | 86 | 15 | 12.9 |
| Voice performances | 81 | 10 | 8.1 |
| Total | 100 | 84.2 |
Trade-off: a sequel that retreads the original’s themes.
4. Avatar: Aang Animated Film — 83.6/100
The first in a planned trilogy based on Avatar: The Last Airbender, with an adult Aang facing new challenges.
| Criterion | Score | Weight | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Animation craft | 86 | 30 | 25.8 |
| Writing & story | 83 | 25 | 20.75 |
| Critical & audience reception | 82 | 20 | 16.4 |
| Rewatchability | 82 | 15 | 12.3 |
| Voice performances | 83 | 10 | 8.3 |
| Total | 100 | 83.6 |
Trade-off: rewards fans of the series more than newcomers.
5. GOAT — 82.0/100
Sony’s all-animal sports comedy, produced by Stephen Curry.
| Criterion | Score | Weight | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Animation craft | 83 | 30 | 24.9 |
| Writing & story | 81 | 25 | 20.25 |
| Critical & audience reception | 81 | 20 | 16.2 |
| Rewatchability | 84 | 15 | 12.6 |
| Voice performances | 81 | 10 | 8.1 |
| Total | 100 | 82.0 |
Trade-off: conventional underdog story.
6. Doraemon: New Nobita and the Castle of the Undersea Devil — 81.4/100
The Doraemon entry that topped the Japanese box office for six weeks.
| Criterion | Score | Weight | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Animation craft | 82 | 30 | 24.6 |
| Writing & story | 80 | 25 | 20.0 |
| Critical & audience reception | 81 | 20 | 16.2 |
| Rewatchability | 83 | 15 | 12.45 |
| Voice performances | 81 | 10 | 8.1 |
| Total | 100 | 81.4 |
Trade-off: aimed at the established Doraemon audience.
7. Boonie Bears: The Hidden Protector — 79.8/100
The Boonie Bears entry that grossed over $154 million and led the Chinese box office.
| Criterion | Score | Weight | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Animation craft | 81 | 30 | 24.3 |
| Writing & story | 78 | 25 | 19.5 |
| Critical & audience reception | 79 | 20 | 15.8 |
| Rewatchability | 81 | 15 | 12.15 |
| Voice performances | 80 | 10 | 8.0 |
| Total | 100 | 79.8 |
Trade-off: a franchise sequel with limited reach outside its core market.
How to re-weight
- Family rotation: rewatchability to 30%. Mario and Hoppers climb.
- Craft cinephile: craft to 45%. Hoppers and Mario hold.
- Story-first: writing to 40%. Hoppers and Avatar rise.
Verification
- Hoppers — opening-weekend record via ScreenRant 2026 animated movies.
- The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, Doraemon, Boonie Bears — box-office milestones via Wikipedia list of 2026 animated features.
- Avatar (Aang), GOAT, Zootopia 2 — 2026 releases via ScreenRant most exciting animated 2026.
Related rankings
- Best Action Movies (2026): Ranked by Watch Score
- Best Comedy Movies (2026): Ranked by Watch Score
- Best Horror Movies (2026): Ranked by Watch Score
- Best Movies of 2026: Ranked by Watch Score
Frequently asked questions
- What window does this cover?
- Animated feature films released theatrically or to streaming in 2026 through early June, drawn from box office and critical roundups.
- Why does Hoppers rank #1?
- It scores highest on craft and reception — Pixar's original had the best opening weekend for an original animated film since Coco and strong reviews.
- Why is animation craft weighted highest?
- The medium is the message in animation; technical and artistic execution leads at 30%.
- Can I re-weight the rubric?
- Yes. Push rewatchability higher and a family-rotation favorite climbs. The full table is published.
- How often is this updated?
- Quarterly, with refreshes after major releases.