Daniel Chong

Lore & Background

Chong began his career as an intern for Cartoon Network Studios, and went on to work as a storyboard artist for numerous animation studios, including Walt Disney Animation Studios, Illumination Entertainment, and Pixar Animation Studios. He worked as a storyboard artist on the animated films Bolt (2008), Cars 2 (2011), Dr. Seuss' The Lorax (2012), Free Birds (2013), and Inside Out (2015). While working at Pixar, Chong worked on the television specials Toy Story of Terror! (2013) and Toy Story That Time Forgot (2014), the former of which won him an Annie Award.

Chong went on to create the animated series We Bare Bears, which premiered on Cartoon Network in 2015. The initial idea for We Bare Bears came from a webcomic that he had created in 2010 called The Three Bare Bears. The webcomic ended almost a year later, but he carried the idea with him. Chong has cited Seinfeld, Broad City, Peanuts, Aardman Animations and Wes Anderson as inspirations for the style and tone of the show. Chong directed, wrote, and executive produced a film adaptation of the series, We Bare Bears: The Movie, which was released in June 2020, thus ending the series. A spinoff series titled We Baby Bears premiered in 2022; Chong serves as executive producer.

In December 2020, Chong revealed on Twitter that he had returned to Pixar and was working on a project there. The film was officially revealed as Hoppers in August 2024; its release date has not yet been confirmed.

Reader's Guide

Daniel Chong's significance lies in his creation of the popular Cartoon Network series We Bare Bears, which ran from 2015 to 2019 and spawned a film and a spinoff series. His career trajectory from intern to storyboard artist at major studios—including Disney, Illumination, and Pixar—illustrates a path through the animation industry. His work on Toy Story of Terror! earned him an Annie Award. Chong's return to Pixar and his role as writer and director of Hoppers (2026) marks a continued presence in feature animation. His legacy includes both television and film contributions, with We Bare Bears remaining his most recognized work.

Did You Know?

• Chong began his career as an intern for Cartoon Network Studios.
• He won an Annie Award for his work on the television special Toy Story of Terror! (2013).
• The initial idea for We Bare Bears came from a webcomic he created in 2010 called The Three Bare Bears.
• Chong returned to Pixar in December 2020 and later wrote and directed Hoppers (2026).

From Intern to Senior Creative Voice

Daniel Chong's path through the animation industry reads like a masterclass in patience and craft. He entered the field as a low-level intern at Cartoon Network Studios, a position that would eventually lead him to work as a storyboard artist across some of the most prominent studios in the business, including Walt Disney Animation Studios, Illumination Entertainment, and Pixar Animation Studios. Over the course of roughly a decade, his name appeared on a remarkable string of feature films: Bolt, Cars 2, Dr. Seuss' The Lorax, Free Birds, and Inside Out. His time at Pixar also brought him into the world of television specials, where he contributed to Toy Story of Terror! and Toy Story That Time Forgot. The former earned him an Annie Award, a recognition that marked him as a creative force beyond the typical storyboard role. By the time he departed Pixar, he had risen to become a member of the studio's senior creative team, a position that reflected both the breadth of his portfolio and the depth of his storytelling instincts.

The Seeds of We Bare Bears

The concept that would define Daniel Chong's career actually germinated years before it ever reached a television screen. In 2010, he launched a short-lived webcomic called The Three Bare Bears, a small experiment in character-driven storytelling that ran for barely a year before it was shelved. Rather than letting the idea fade, Chong kept it close, nurturing the characters and their dynamic in his imagination until the right opportunity arrived. When he was ready to develop the project fully, the result was We Bare Bears, which premiered on Cartoon Network in 2015. The show's distinctive voice, warm and conversational with a gently observational edge, drew from a wide range of influences that Chong has openly cited: the rapid-fire dialogue of Seinfeld, the irreverent energy of Broad City, the timeless simplicity of Peanuts, the tactile charm of Aardman Animations, and the meticulous visual composition associated with Wes Anderson. Together, these references shaped a series that felt simultaneously grounded and whimsical, giving three bear brothers a world that resonated far beyond its animation style.

Capping the Series and Extending the World

After four seasons of We Bare Bears, Daniel Chong returned to the project as director, writer, and executive producer for a feature-length conclusion. We Bare Bears: The Movie hit theaters in June 2020, serving as both a capstone to the original series and a standalone story that allowed the characters one final, larger-scale adventure. The film's release effectively closed the book on the main show's run, giving audiences a definitive send-off. Yet the world Chong had built refused to stay contained. In 2022, a spinoff titled We Baby Bears premiered, expanding the franchise into a new generation of storytelling while Chong remained involved in a behind-the-scenes capacity as executive producer. This dual role, stepping back from day-to-day creative control while still shaping the broader direction, demonstrated his willingness to let the characters evolve beyond his immediate hand. The spinoff also proved that the emotional core of the original series, its focus on friendship and belonging, could sustain new stories and reach younger viewers without losing the warmth that made the first show a cultural touchstone.

The Pixar Return and Hoppers

Just weeks after We Bare Bears: The Movie wrapped its theatrical run, Daniel Chong made a personal announcement on Twitter in December 2020: he had returned to Pixar and was actively developing a project within the studio. The news carried particular weight given his earlier tenure there as a storyboard artist and senior creative team member, signaling a full-circle moment in his career. For nearly four years, the specifics of his work remained under wraps, a period of quiet development that built anticipation among fans and industry observers alike. In August 2024, Pixar officially revealed the title of the long-anticipated film: Hoppers. The movie was set for a March 6, 2026 release, with Chong credited as both writer and director, a dual role that placed him firmly in the creative driver's seat rather than in a supporting capacity. The project represented a significant evolution in his body of work, transitioning from television series creation to leading a major studio feature, and it underscored his standing as one of the most versatile storytellers working in American animation.