Judy and Nick walking around Marsh Market in Zootopia 2Image via Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
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Therese Lacson
Published 19 minutes ago
Therese Lacson is a Senior TV Editor who has been with Collider since 2021. She got started in this business over ten years ago working primarily as an interviewer and critic. At Collider, she works closely with the features team to support the writers and also ideates and develops content daily. She has covered major industry events including Cannes Film Festival, Sundance Film Festival, SXSW, Toronto International Film Festival, and San Diego Comic-Con. Although she reviews and covers both film and television, her focus is in television and her expertise is in fantasy and sci-fi genre shows. Her favorite shows to cover include House of the Dragon, Bridgerton, Fallout, 9-1-1, and Rivals.
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After nine years, Disney fans can finally rejoice in returning to Zootopia as the studio finally releases Zootopia 2. And while your mileage may vary with the films in Disney's current era of animated films — a catalogue that's seen both success and failure in varying degrees — Zootopia 2 is further proof that Disney is still able to do the impossible and catch lightning in a bottle a second time. When it comes to sequels, Disney has slowly perfected the formula, going from direct-to-video disappointments in the 90s to sequels that make far more at the box office than the first movie — Moana 2 and Frozen 2, just to name a few examples.
And while sometimes these sequels don't quite live up to the charisma and enchanting nature of the first film, it's a pleasure to see that Zootopia 2 is not a part of that legacy. Expanding the world beyond the confines of the first film, Zootopia 2 takes a maximalist approach, giving us a whole host of new characters, a larger world, and a deeper story that builds on the same themes of the first Zootopia.
'Zootopia 2' Doubles Down on the Themes of the First Movie
When the first Zootopia movie came out, one of its overarching themes was overcoming discrimination and stereotypes. The original wasn't subtle about it, as it separated the world into predator and prey, pitting the world against predators when they begin to become violent. While it is far from a perfect allegory, Zootopia 2 picks up where the first movie left off and adds the nuance it needed. The sequel follows up with Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin) and Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman) after their successful case from the first movie. Nick and Judy are now partners on the force, but their opposing personalities often get in the way of their police work.
As tensions arise between the two, a new case presents itself when Judy finds evidence of a snake in Zootopia. Reptiles in general have been outcasts in Zootopia, segregated to their own small part of the city, and no one has seen a snake around in a long time. That is, until Gary De'Snake (Ke Huy Quan) turns up to steal a historic journal that details the way the weather walls of Zootopia were made. Breaking off from the predator/prey stereotypes already gives the story a major step up from the first film, and while the first film hinged around us suspending the disbelief that a lion doesn't actually eat prey creatures like gazelle or zebras, Zootopia 2's main conflict centers around a different kind of discrimination that relies not on the inherent nature of animals but universal themes.
As the story unfolds, and we learn the secret to what truly happened with the weather walls, themes of greed, discrimination, and othering present themselves far more organically. Of course, since this is a movie generally made for children, it's still about as subtle as a freight train, but it's an improvement nonetheless.
'Zootopia 2' Introduces a New Loveable Hero and a Whole New Zoo of Characters
Speaking of Gary, his introduction is part of the expansion of the world of Zootopia. As Judy and Nick try to track down Gary, they arrive at the Marsh Market, and we meet a whole new host of reptile characters, including a plumed basilisk named Jesus (Danny Trejo). It's a testament to the animators' character design that they're able to make so many distinctive characters based on real-world animals. There's a new crop of characters, like a pair of hippo cops complete with piercings and tattoos (Stephanie Beatriz and Wilmer Valderrama) and a couple of "zebros" (voiced by former WWE wrestlers, Roman Reigns and CM Punk).
There's the influential Lynxley family, a family of lynxes who are descended from the lynx who first created the weather walls. While most of the family is arrogant and proud, the black sheep of the family, Pawbert (Andy Samberg), stands out as an ally to Judy in her investigation. Also helping out Nick and Judy is Nibbles Maplestick (Fortune Feimster), a beaver who might just be a little too invested in conspiracy theories but still offers delightful comedic relief to the cast.
But, by far, the best new character to grace the screen is Gary De'Snake. A little anxious, very friendly, and ever the optimist, Gary brings light to every scene that he's in, especially as Nick and Judy butt heads throughout the film while struggling with their partnership. Ke Huy Quan's voice performance bleeds through to his character, offering a warm and friendly timbre to an animal most people fear. The character design of Gary as a blue pit viper makes him instantly memorable, and his personality offers the perfect foil to the leading characters.
The Disney Sequel Offers a Bigger Splash With a Larger World and More Music
Nicke WIlde and Judy Hopps paddling through the water at Marsh Market in Zootopia 2Image via Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
It's never been clearer to me than after watching Zootopia how much I simply want to live in Zootopia. Disney expands the world beyond the reaches of the first film, introducing a new land and an intriguing backstory to the origins of the city. The movie plays into the quirks of the world, combining real-world jokes with animal puns, which is sure to entertain adult viewers as they make their way through the 108-minute movie. Dad jokes and hilarious callbacks give the movie layers and rewatchability, while the new music and soundtrack offer an extra boost to the presence of the world.
When jumping back into Zootopia, it's difficult to look at it with anything but wonder as every detail feels specifically crafted for the movie. It's one of the aspects that sets animation apart from live-action. It's able to give us these fantastical worlds while also grounding them in a way that makes them feel intrinsically relatable.
Shakira's Gazelle is back with another big performance, this time in the Zootopia equivalent of Burning Man, while the legendary Michael Giacchino takes on composing for the sequel. Giacchino's presence is immediately felt in the sweeping soundtrack that sets the tone perfectly, and it's a significant step up from his work on the original film.
Story-wise, you might find yourself stumbling a little when jumping back into the world if you haven't rewatched Zootopia recently. The film does a bit of a recap at the beginning, but a refresher on Judy and Nick's dynamic will definitely help. For adults, Zootopia 2 offers the same funny puns and references as the first movie — complete with a former-movie-actor-turned-mayor stallion named Brian Winddancer (Patrick Warburton) and the return of Vito Corleone, aka Mr. Big (Maurice LaMarche). For kids, it's a colorful and delightful movie that delivers both thrills and heart. A fantastic follow-up to the original, Zootopia 2 swoops in right at the perfect time for the holidays as a perfect family movie to enjoy.
Zootopia 2 premieres in theaters on November 26.
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Zootopia 2
Disney's sequel brings back the same lovable characters of the first in a new expanded world to offers more heart and fun.
Like Follow Followed PG Family Comedy Crime Adventure Animation Release Date November 26, 2025 Director Byron Howard, Jared Bush Writers Jared Bush Producers Jennifer LeeCast
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Ginnifer Goodwin
Judy Hopps (voice)
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Jason Bateman
Nick Wilde (voice)
Zootopia 2 follows Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde as they navigate challenges in their partnership after cracking a major case. Chief Bogo enrolls them in the Partners in Crisis program, and they soon face a complex mystery involving a venomous snake that threatens the bustling animal metropolis.
Genres Family, Comedy, Crime, Adventure, Animation Expand Collapse Pros & Cons- Gary De'Snake is a great new addition to the world of Zootopia.
- Expanding on the world and the lore of Zootopia gives the movie more depth.
- Diverging from the previous narrative of predator/prey allows the movie to lean more into the nuance of its themes.
- Those watching the sequel without rewatching the first movie might struggle to understand the dynamics at play.
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Zootopia 2
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