Zootopia 2 (2025)

By: Mike Ward on Wednesday, November 26

PG Running Time: 108 mins

SHOULD I SEE IT?

YES

  • Zootopia 2 is the best Disney animated film in years in how visually impressive it looks, how funny the film is, how well it is performed, and how it will undoubtedly lend itself to multiple rewatches.

  • Ginnifer Goodwin, Jason Bateman, Fortune Feimster, and a couple dozen other folks give wonderful voiceover performances and make the film fun and engaging from start to finish.

  • Through all the laughter, a thoughtful, compassionate film about community, embracing differences, and calling out “otherness” and systemic oppression and marginalization also exists here. And its all handled very, very well.

NO

  • The pacing, the rapid fire feel, and a cast list of over 60 characters (as cameos or featured performers) may overwhelm some audiences.

  • At times, the movie opts for the quick joke when a less is more approach might be more beneficial.

  • While the comedy truly is funny for anyone, the deeper themes may get lost as the movie tries to be both topical and comedic in its storytelling.


OUR REVIEW

Boasting a cast of more than two dozen animal characters and an unlimited amount of jokes, sight gags, and one-liners for audiences of any age, Zootopia 2 is a hilarious and delightful return to form for Disney and their animated feature film division.

For directors Jared Bush and Byron Howard, resurrecting this world feels effortless. Set about a week or so after the events of the 2016 Oscar-winning film, the sequel offers a brief recap of how bunny rabbit Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin) and red fox Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman) brought down corrupt mayor Dawn Bellwether (Jenny Slate). Now police officers in the Zootopia PD, they work for the always gruff Chief Bogo (Idris Elba), a Cape buffalo, who is already tired of their constant bickering. Sent to a “partners class” led by Dr. Fuzzby, a cuddly quokka voiced by “Abbott Elementary” star Quinta Brunson, the two try to establish a functional working relationship.

Meanwhile, the city is preparing for its upcoming Zootenial celebration, recognizing its 100th anniversary. At a commemorative event, we learn the town was formed by Ebeneezer Lynxley, and his lynx descendants are hosting the ceremony. During the festivities, Judy discovers what looks like snakeskin. Soon, a pit viper named Gary De’Snake (Ke Huy Quan) has made his way into Zootopia, though his intentions may be very different than what Judy and Nick initially assume.

Make no mistake: for the bit of mystery and world-building it delivers, Zootopia 2 is a comedy first and a terrific one at that. While the tone never reaches the raunchy, adult-tinged humor of this summer’s The Naked Gun remake, the volume and speed of jokes, gags, and verbal and visual punchlines feel similar. The humor is constant, rarely pausing for more than a few beats, and with more than 60 characters popping in and out of the story, sometimes for a funny line or others for longer supporting roles, the film maintains an infectious energy that keeps you smiling pretty much the entire time.

A strength of these films is their ability to balance a fast-paced, go-for-broke comedic style with a sincere kindness and compassion for others. Bush, singularly credited as the screenwriter, finds opportunities to explore themes of community, belonging, and how our differences can strengthen ourselves and others. The sequel digs a bit deeper than the original, with Bush showing us how fear of the “other” can manifest into systemic marginalization. We learn that Zootopia has gentrified over generations, sending non-mammals to remote, fringe parts of society. In part, this speaks to why Gary is now slithering around Zootopia and coveting something of great importance to the Lynxley family.

As the deeper messages percolate, the visual presentation of Zootopia 2 is stunning. With dozens of species and personalities coming in and out of the frame, the character design work is truly remarkable, perhaps the best work Disney Animation Studios has produced this decade.  As we uncover new discoveries within the Zootopia landscape, the visuals dazzle at almost every turn. An extended, high-energy chase through the dynamic Marsh Market proves to be a centerpiece of the film, while also sneaking in lots of easter eggs and sight gags hiding in plain sight.  

Truth be told, I cannot wait to watch this again and catch up to all the jokes I likely missed on a first viewing. Without giving too much away, there are lots of Disney movies references, topical pop culture gags, and a scene that cleverly recalls a classic horror movie setting, prompting some of the biggest laughs in the theater. 

While the fast pace, cavalcade of characters, and overall energy can be a bit overwhelming for some viewers, Zootopia 2 truly does feel like a return to form and bold visual step forward for the House of Mouse. The craftsmanship of the animation, the Michael Giacchino score, and terrific voiceover work of Goodwin, Bateman, Fortune Feimster (as a conspiracy-theorist beaver), Patrick Warburton (as a vain stallion mayor), Andy Samberg (as a Lynxley descendant), and even WWE stars Roman Reigns and CM Punk (as the Ze-Bros), all combine to deliver the kind of laugh-out-loud boost we need at the multiplex right now.

CAST & CREW

Starring: Ginnifer Goodwin, Jason Bateman, Fortune Feimster, Ke Huy Quan, Andy Samberg, David Strathairn, Shakira, Idris Elba, Patrick Warburton, Quinta Brunson, Jenny Slate, Alan Tudyk, Danny Trejo, Bonnie Hunt, Don Lake, Macauley Culkin, Brenda Song, Maurice LaMarche, Cecily Strong, Tommy Chong, Tiny Lister Jr., Roman Reigns, CM Punk, Stephanie Beatriz, Wilmer Valderrama, Jean Reno, John Leguizamo, Yvette Nicole Brown, Josh Gad, Tig Notaro, Michael J. Fox, Rachel House, Mae Martin, Auli’i Cravalho, Dwayne Johnson, Ed Sheeran, Robert Irwin, Amanda Gorman, Mario Lopez

Director: Jared Bush, Byron Howard
Written by: Jared Bush (screenplay); Byron Howard (story)
Release Date: November 26, 2025
Walt Disney Studios