Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde are making a return in Zootopia 2!

On February 9, 2023, Disney CEO Bob Iger made the announcement during their Q1 earnings call. “Today I’m so pleased to announce that we have sequels in the works from our animation studios to some of our most popular franchises, Toy Story, Frozen, and Zootopia,” Iger said. “We’ll have more to share about these productions soon, but this is a great example of how we’re leaning into our unrivaled brands and franchises.”

Previous installments of the movies mentioned above were extremely successful in cinemas worldwide, with Frozen 2 earning $1.45 billion in 2019, Toy Story 4 bringing in $1.07 billion in the same year, and Zootopia grossing $1.02 billion in 2016. However, the announcement followed some negative news, including a cost-cutting measure of $5.5 billion for the entire company and the layoff of 7,000 jobs at Disney.

With the movie currently in the works, here’s everything we know so far about Zootopia 2.

Editor's Note: This piece was updated on April 16, 2024.

Does 'Zootopia 2' Have a Release Date?

Yes, Zootopia 2 is set to hit theaters on November 26, 2025, nearly a decade after the first movie hit theaters in March 2016. In its opening weekend, Zootopia 2 will be facing some major competition in the form of Wicked Part Two from Universal. Another major animated movie will be opening one week earlier with Angel Studios' faith-based musical film David hitting theaters on November 21, 2025.

Zootopia 2 is part of a recent string of sequels coming from both Walt Disney Animation Studios and Pixar, with other upcoming titles including Inside Out 2, Moana 2, Frozen 3, and Toy Story 5.

Zootopia 2 will also be added to the Disney+ streaming service at an unspecified date after its exclusive theatrical window concludes.

Is There Already a Trailer for 'Zootopia 2'?

No, since Zootopia 2 won't be about for over a year and a half, there has not been a trailer yet. However, there is a chance that some early footage will exclusively be shown during Disney's D23 Expo in August 2024, but nothing has been confirmed.

What Will 'Zootopia 2' About?

There’s no clear plot for Zootopia 2 available, but most likely, we can expect the two main protagonists, Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde, to make a return - seeing they’re the faces of the movie. The sequel wouldn’t be complete without seeing those two familiar faces. Zootopia 2 will also most probably pick up from the aftermath of the first movie, in which Judy becomes a respected figure in the Zootopia Police Department and Nick becomes the ZPD’s first fox officer and Judy’s partner. With their wise guy, slapstick, but caring dynamic, their personalities will shine just as much as in the first movie as they tackle new adventures and meet new characters.

The first movie, Zootopia, gives us an introduction to the city of Zootopia, where creatures of all sizes coexist in harmony, from massive elephants to tiny shrews. After becoming the first rabbit to join the police force, Judy Hopps quickly grasps the challenges of enforcing the law. Resolute in her desire to demonstrate her capabilities, Judy eagerly seizes the chance to solve a perplexing case. Unfortunately, it entails partnering with Nick Wilde, a cunning fox who complicates her job even further.

Packaged as feel-food family animation, it’s surprising how in-depth this light-hearted film is. Unlike your ordinary buddy cop movie, an animated one for that, Zootopia doesn’t shy away from topics like tolerance. The film, which revolves around an unsolved mystery that lurks within the city, brings one of the best conspiracy thrillers alike to crime films, while still being genuinely funny.

Who Created 'Zootopia'?

Development for the first Zootopia began when Byron Howard pitched six-story concepts to Disney Animation's chief creative officer and executive producer John Lasseter, of which three included animal characters. According to Howard, his motivation to create Zootopia stemmed from a desire to differentiate it from other anthropomorphic animal films, where the animals inhabit either the natural or human world. Lasseter suggested fusing a 1960s theme with animal characters, and later, screenwriter Jared Bush was recruited to the project because of his excitement to work on a spy film, influenced by his father and grandfather's previous employment at the Central Intelligence Agency.

Howard eventually abandoned the 1960s era, espionage, and international aspects, and shifted the film's focus to a contemporary police procedural, with Nick Wilde as the lead and Judy Hopps as his sidekick, to emphasize the all-animal city. However, the filmmakers recognized the story's potential for greater engagement by flipping the roles and placing the emphasis on Hopps rather than Wilde.

Who Can We See in 'Zootopia 2'?

The casting for Zootopia 2 isn't confirmed yet, but it would be weird to watch a Zootopia film without the film’s iconic duo: Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin) and Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman).

Judy Hopps, a female rabbit, is the central character of Zootopia and has dreams of becoming an officer. As a rabbit, a species not commonly associated with law enforcement, Judy faces constant skepticism from people in her surroundings, from her parents to local bullies. Nevertheless, she makes use of this doubt to increase her motivation and believes in the importance of always persevering and striving to achieve her objectives.

Nick Wilde is a charismatic and street-smart fox who makes a living as a small-time con artist. He has a penchant for speaking his mind and often uses his wits to get out of tricky situations. Nick developed his signature "Sly Fox" persona as a coping mechanism after a traumatic experience in his childhood. However, when he is outsmarted by a rabbit police officer, he ends up assisting her in solving a mysterious case.

Are There Any Other 'Zootopia 'Projects?

Besides the Zootopia movies, an animated spin-off web television series was produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios, titled Zootopia+. The series is created by Howard, Bush, and Rich Moore, and was released on Disney+ on November 9, 2022. The series has a total of 6 episodes.

The TV series takes place during the events of the movie and delves more into the lives of some of the film's most fascinating characters, such as the newlywed arctic shrew, Fru Fru (Leah Latham); the skillful tiger dancers of Gazelle (Shakira); and Flash (Raymond S. Persi), the sloth brimming with surprises.