On March 14th, 2016, Disney released Zootopia—a blockbuster smash grossing 1.025 billion dollars and winning the Best Animated Feature Oscar. Disney later produced Zootopia+, short films featuring the characters from “Zootopia,” and released to Disney+ on November 9th, 2022. On November 26th, 2025, Disney released Zootopia 2, the highly anticipated “feature-length” sequel released to theaters. Here are my thoughts:
Still relishing the victory of solving their first case, Officers Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde are handed their next case by their boss, Chief Bogo. This case is a bit more complicated however: it involves chasing a “criminalized” snake named “Gary De’Snake.”
As the “tail” unfolds, Judy and Nick discover that Gary might not actually be a real criminal and the case may be bigger than they realize. Furthermore, Judy and Nick’s partnership gets tested and they learn whether or not the partnership they formed in the first film is truthfully meant to last, despite being two different animals with two very different working styles.
“Zootopia 2,” reunites the all-star voice cast of Ginnifer Goodwin as Judy Hopps, Jason Bateman as Nick Wilde, and Idris Elba as Chief Bogo. The film also introduces the new voices of Oscar-Winner Ke Huy Yuan as Gary De’Snake, Oscar-Nominee David Strathairn as new antagonist, Milton Lynxley, and Macaulay Culkin and Culkin’s fiancee, Brenda Song as Milton’s children, Catrick and Kitty Lynxley. There are also voice-over cameos by Disney voice favorites including: Josh Gad (voice of Olaf in Frozen (2013), Auli’i Cravalho (voice of Moana in Moana (2016), Dwayne Johnson (voice of Maui in Moana (2016), and even a cameo by Walt Disney Company CEO, Bob Iger.
“Zootopia 1” was about learning to put differences aside and work together as a team. “Zootopia 2” is a little more emotional because it shows a powerful message of treating immigrants equally and making their voices heard, especially as it impacts our collective history and culture. The story is also hilarious because Judy and Nick befriend a new beaver who hosts a podcast about all animals, Nibbles Maplestick, voiced by Fortune Feimster.
As Judy and Nick continue to experience each other’s differences, they discover they might—just might—also be falling for each other romantically. It remains to be seen whether or not that will happen in a third movie.
This sequel is guaranteed to deepen your appreciation for the film’s endearing characters and beautiful animation, not to mention the genius writing/direction of Jared Bush and Byron Howard, They also co-wrote and directed “Zootopia 1,” with Jared Moore. You might like it just as much, if not better than the first.
