This year’s D23 has so far grabbed the attention of the world, bringing together the many branches of Disney‘s family tree and making major updates and announcements. From the MCU to Star Wars, the convention is leaving no stone unturned. One such upcoming project that has been given an intriguing update is Zootopia 2, the sequel to the 2016 animated hit, as it was revealed at the panel that Ke Huy Quan will join the cast as a mysterious new reptile named Gary when the film premieres in November 2025.
Along with the news, Disney also showed an exclusive clip of the new movie, set in the Marsh Market, where the semi-acquatic animals live, like seals and hippos. The clip features a hippo getting a tattoo, and a beaver and walrus having a redundant conversation back and forth, while Judy Hops (Ginnifer Goodwin) and Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman) look less than pleased to be there.
Zootopia 2 has already received a release date despite being quite some time away, such is the trend of the moment. Scheduled for November 26, 2025, fans of the original will have waited almost a decade since the first outing, with the young audience ready to see Judy Hopps and the gang return. There’s plenty of excitement about a trip back to Zootopia, but that doesn’t stop it from facing some tough competition at the Box Office. Universal‘s Wicked: Part Two and Angel Studios’ faith-based musical film David hit screens in the same week, already carving out an exciting month for cinema despite over a year of announcements still to come. Following its theatrical release, Zootopia 2 will make its way to Disney+. On top of the original and upcoming sequel, a spinoff series also premiered on Disney+ back in November 2022, with the burgeoning Zootopia universe looking fruitful for Disney.
‘Zootopia’ Was a Huge Box Office Success
There is no doubt that Zootopia was an enormous success at the Box Office. On a reported budget of $150 million, the film returned a total of $1 billion worldwide and a subsequent $111 million in estimated domestic video sales. The movie is in the Top 10 of the All-Time International Box Office for Digital Animation Movies and stands as just one of many Disney animation hits of the past decade. Whether or not the sequel will be able to live up to its predecessor’s success is up for question, but recent Box Office dominance from the likes of Inside Out 2 and Despicable Me 4 proves that the hunger for family animation is as high as ever. A synopsis for the first Zootopia reads:
“From the largest elephant to the smallest shrew, the city of Zootopia is a mammal metropolis where various animals live and thrive. When Judy Hopps ( Ginnifer Goodwin ) becomes the first rabbit to join the police force, she quickly learns how tough it is to enforce the law. Determined to prove herself, Judy jumps at the opportunity to solve a mysterious case. Unfortunately, that means working with Nick Wilde ( Jason Bateman ), a wily fox who makes her job even harder.”
The first Zootopia is available to stream right now on Disney+. Zootopia 2 premieres November 26, 2025.
via Collider