Notwithstanding Pixar, Walt Disney Studios hasn’t done many theatrical sequels to their successful animated films. Zootopia 2 joins the exclusive club where Frozen II, Moana 2 and Ralph Breaks the Internet exist alongside The Rescuers Down Under and Fantasia 2000. Like those before it, Zootopia 2 demonstrates why some animated movie sequels make sense (and not just cents).
Despite being released almost 10 years ago, Zootopia 2 picks up shortly after the events of the first movie, where Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin) and Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman) became unlikely partners on the city’s police force. Still considered newbies, Judy’s fierce desire to prove herself lands the two in a great deal of trouble, even as they face a new mystery to solve.
As the 100th anniversary of the city’s founding draws near, Judy and Nick uncover a long-buried secret involving a new animal: Gary De’Snake (Ke Huy Quan). With Nick and Judy’s fledgling partnership in danger of being dissolved if they don’t figure out how to work together, the duo recruits new allies to explore the city and crack the case.
Zootopia 2 Establishes Disney’s Own Kid-Friendly Knives Out Franchise
One of the biggest reasons Zootopia worked was because of the clever mystery at the heart of the movie — one with surprising twists and turns that took audiences through an exciting romp through its ecologically-diverse landscape. Jared Bush, who co-wrote the first film’s screenplay, returns for the sequel, writing the script and co-directing alongside fellow Disney Animation veteran Byron Howard (Tangled, Encanto).
The story of Zootopia 2 is just as twisty as the previous film, though it’s a bit more predictable. Nonetheless, Bush’s script delivers a mystery worthy of Zootopia, and it becomes plain to see that Disney could very easily make a franchise out of Nick and Judy’s city beat. If Bush and his collaborators at Disney can craft even more intricate mysteries that are fun for all ages, audiences will no doubt keep coming back.
Zootopia 2 Expands The World Of Disney’s Most Unique Metropolis
Another standout element from the first Zootopia movie was the city itself and the inner workings of its politics and residents. In Zootopia 2, Bush digs even deeper into the history and lore of the city, revealing how Zootopia was founded and the complex power dynamics that keep it running.
The Zootopia 2 story also takes viewers to new locations, like Marsh Market, which helps to ensure the film feels like it’s breaking new ground even as the themes are a bit of a retread. The first film leaned heavily on the dynamics of predator vs prey animals to convey its message of acceptance. In Zootopia 2, that message is clumsily repackaged with snakes and reptiles being scapegoated and shunned from the city.
Still, the messages of acceptance and open-mindedness in Zootopia 2 are just as important now as ever, which gives the film a very solid heart even if the story is a little familiar.
Nick & Judy Are Joined By New Scene-Stealing Characters
Along with expanding the world of Zootopia comes introducing a whole host of new animal characters. Quan’s Gary De’Snake is a delightful addition to the world, and his journey in Zootopia proves unexpectly sweet. Meanwhile, Fortune Feimster’s Nibbles Maplestick is a hilarious and scene-stealing beaver, and Andy Samberg’s Pawbert Lynxley rounds out the main cast with a charming performance.
Disney went much bigger in Zootopia 2, and there’s a long list of big stars who have cameos in the film — including Robert Irwin and Dwayne Johnson — but these appearances never draw away from the story of Nick and Judy, which is central to the film. Their partnership is in danger because the two approach their cases very differently, and their story sees the pair learning to compromise and communicate in order to strengthen their bond.
Judy and Nick’s story isn’t necessarily groundbreaking, but it ties in nicely to the overall themes of Zootopia 2. The film is, at its heart, about accepting others’ differences and how diversity can create a better world, which is something our real world sorely needs to hear.
Zootopia 2 Is A Near-Perfect Disney Movie Sequel
In Zootopia 2, Bush, Howard and Disney go bigger while maintaining the first film’s heart, and although the movie retreads some of the same themes, it’s a tightly woven mystery with plenty of emotion and humor threaded through to keep audiences of all ages engaged. There are a wide variety of jokes in the film, some that land and some that don’t, but there’s certainly something here for everyone.
With a studio like Walt Disney Animation, where they’ve released so few sequels in theaters, it might be expected that they’d flounder a little, but Zootopia 2 is just as strong as its predecessor. It manages to expand the world in exciting ways, tell another compelling story with its main characters and recapture the magic of Zootopia.
- Release Date
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November 26, 2025
- Director
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Byron Howard, Jared Bush
- Writers
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Jared Bush
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Ginnifer Goodwin
Judy Hopps (voice)
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Jason Bateman
Nick Wilde (voice)
