How Zootopia 2 became Disney's biggest animated movie ever

Even Disney may have been surprised by how well Zootopia 2 has done at the box office.

After a record opening weekend for an animated movie, the momentum continued over the Christmas and New Year holiday period, and it's now powered past Frozen 2's $1.46 billion haul to become Disney's highest-grossing animated film to date. It's rapidly closing in on 2019's 'live-action' The Lion King too.

But why has Zootopia 2 soared while recent original IPs like Strange World, Wish and Pixar's Elio bombed? Nostalgia, timing and clever marketing all played a role, and we shouldn't overlook the quality of the animation itself (don't miss our guides to the best animation software and the best laptops for animation if you're inspired).

01. Global appeal

It might seem counter-intuitive, but animal characters can have more universal appeal than human ones – particularly in highly politicised times, and particularly if they're animal species that are widely known in different regions. The use of lovable critters helped the film’s themes of diversity and cooperation resonate across cultures.

Zootopia 2 is also surprisingly mature. As the phenomenal success of KPop Demon Hunters demonstrated, animated films do well when they're not seen as being for kids only. In Zootopia 2, Disney doesn't shy away from topics like bias and societal expectations. There are also plenty of subtle layers of meaning, with jokes and cultural references that only adult viewers pick up on.

02. Nostalgia

Zootopia 2 brings back a proven IP after a long-enough gap for it to generate nostalgia for the original.

It's been almost a decade since the first movie was released in 2016. Such a big gap can be a risk if audiences forget or stop caring about the original, but if it was popular enough, there are benefits. A reasonably long hiatus reduces the danger of a sequel becoming a rushed cash in, and audiences won't have become bored of the concept or characters.

Disney and Pixar have shown before that their biggest franchises can take such long breaks. There were six years between Frozen and Frozen 2, and nine between Inside Out and Inside Out 2, which became the highest grossing animated film overall ($1.69 billion) until being dethroned by Ne Zha 2 ($2.24 billion) last year.

03. Timing

Disney's timing wasn't only astute in the gap between movies. The Zootopia 2 release date was also perfectly chosen.

The original movie hit cinemas in March 2016. That allowed it to avoid summer competition but gave it a relatively slow opening month. Zootopia 2 got a more promising Thanksgiving release date. The holiday is one of the busiest times of the year for cinemas in the US, and momentum can roll through the winter holidays.

Disney chose the same slot for Moana 2 last year. It looks like it's edging to claim Thanksgiving for its animated movies.

04. Wildehopps and Disney's 'shipper baiting'

People love rumours of celebrity romance, and it seems that applies even to fictional animal characters. The online chemistry between rabbit and fox protagonists Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde won fans over in the original movie, and the prospect of the return of their dynamic partnership – and maybe something more – was part of the sequel's allure.

Even though the characters aren't (yet?) an official couple, Disney's marketing teased the idea that it could happen. Some fans accused it of 'shipper baiting' to appeal to those who were rooting for romance to blossom, but it worked. 'Wildehopps' mania too hold.

Some fans will be sorely disappointed if Disney doesn't make them an official item in Zootopia 3.

05. Gary De'Snake

Cracking the Chinese box office has become crucial for an animated movie to have a chance at ranking among the biggest blockbusters. China's Ne Zha 2 (2024) remains the highest grossing animated movie of all time, and that was mainly from Chinese ticket sales alone.

Well aware of this, Disney used some savvy marketing to help ensure Zootopia 2's success in the Chinese market. Jared Bush, the film's co-director and Disney's chief creative officer, has admitted that the new character Gary De'Snake was chosen specifically to coincide with the Chinese zodiac year.

Voiced by Ke Huy Quan, the serpent subverts negative stereotypes often associated with snakes in Western culture, with Gary portrayed as friendly and optimistic to coincide with the zodiac sign's association with intuition and renewal.

Disney used him to build anticipation for the movie a long time in advance. Gary featured heavily in Chinese New Year celebrations and promotional material at Shanghai Disney Resort from as early as January 2025 to mark the start of the lunar year. By the time the movie was released in November, Gary was already a star and people were even seeking out venomous real-world snakes as pets.

06. It's a great animated movie

Finally, Disney's writers and animators deserve credit for making Zootopia 2 simply a great movie. Positive reviews and word of mouth have helped keep momentum rolling since its huge opening week.

The movie currently has a 90% critical approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a 96% audience rating. That's testament to the engaging character design, immersive and visually dazzling world building and the attention to detail in the polished and vibrant 3D animation style – and perhaps also to the use of some of the Pixar rules of storytelling.

Also check out Disney's videos on the making of Zootopia 2 for more on the work that went into the movie.

We'll now have to see whether Zootopia's success can help boost the prospects of animation in 2026 in general.