In a brand-new trailer for Disney's Zootopia 2, police are involved in an intense chase involving a never-before-seen snake. Nine long years after the original Zootopia became a massive Disney success in 2016, the sequel will introduce fans to a horde of new heroes and villains in the fictional titular metropolitan area.
Disney released an 80-second teaser trailer for 2025's Zootopia 2, marking the start of the sequel's official marketing campaign. While the trailer did not include any dialogue, it introduced fans to a bright blue snake, one of the sequel's new leading characters, alongside Ginnifer Goodwin's Judy Hopps and Jason Bateman's Nick Wilde. Zootopia 2 is expected to be one of Disney's biggest films to close out the year.
Played by Ke Huy Quan (known for his roles in Loki Season 2 and Everything Everywhere All at Once), this new snake goes by the name Gary De'Snake. Also important to note (as revealed at D23 2024) is that snakes have a "shady past in Zootopia." This seems to put Gary in a bad place with the police, although it is still unclear what the pit viper has done specifically to incite the chase.
Along with the trailer, Disney shared a description for the trailer with The Direct, teasing "a new team-up with a mysterious pit viper, Gary De'Snake" ahead of the film's debut:
"Walt Disney Animation Studios revealed a brand-new teaser trailer this morning for 'Zootopia 2,' the highly anticipated sequel to 2016’s Academy Award-winning 'Zootopia.' Featuring glimpses at new and returning characters, the trailer reunites rookie cops Judy Hopps (voice of Ginnifer Goodwin) and Nick Wilde (voice of Jason Bateman) and teases a new team-up with a mysterious pit viper, Gary De’Snake (voice of Ke Huy Quan)."
In this sequel, Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde will be involved in an intriguing mystery when Gary "turns the animal metropolis upside down" upon arrival:
"In the film, which opens only in theaters Nov. 26, Judy and Nick find themselves on the twisting trail of a great mystery when Gary De’Snake arrives in Zootopia and turns the animal metropolis upside down. To crack the case, they must go undercover to unexpected new parts of town, where their growing partnership is tested like never before."
Disney Animation Chief Creative Officer and Zootopia 2 director/writer Jared Bush hinted at a massive expansion to this movie's world, noting it will take a "hilarious, wild ride into parts of the city we’ve never visited before." Specifically pointing out Quan's "brand-new snake" as a new wrinkle in the story, he explained how Judy and Nick will learn much more about this world and themselves:
"We are beyond excited to welcome everyone back to the outrageous, expansive animal metropolis of Zootopia, and take audiences on a hilarious, wild ride into parts of the city we’ve never visited before. Whether it’s the marshes of semi-aquatic mammals, the vast desert dunes or even greater mysteries beyond, our heroes, Judy and Nick, will meet a lot of new friends, and discover even more about the world, themselves and a brand-new snake in town."
Zootopia 2 will follow up the efforts of 2016's Zootopia, bringing back Goodwin's ZPD Officer Judy Hopps and Bateman's newly-minted Officer Nick Wilde. They will embark on an undisclosed undercover operation, with Ke Huy Quan's Gary De'Snake joining the mix, uncovering new secrets and mysteries hidden across the city's many landscapes. Zootopia 2 will debut in theaters on November 26, 2025.
The new teaser can be seen below:
What To Expect From Ke Huy Quan's New Snake Character in Zootopia 2
Looking ahead to Zootopia 2, Ke Huy Quan is expected to play one of the sequel's most important new roles for the expansion of this universe. Outside of Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde, Gary De'Snake will arguably be one of the movie's central characters, as his introduction is teased to shake up the status quo of what was established by the first film's end.
The real questions moving forward will be why the people of Zootopia are so hesitant to accept snakes like Gary and what he does to put a target on his back.
Unfortunately, those questions seem far from being answered after this trailer did not include any dialogue, although Gary does appear to have a lot ahead of him as the story evolves. Additionally, with promises that this sequel will be "as good or better" than the first Zootopia, expectations are high for what an Oscar-winner like Quan will add to the already successful franchise.
Richard Nebens joined The Direct in March 2020, now serving as the site's Senior Writer and also working as an assistant editor and content creator. He started his journalism career as a hobby in 2019 and is passionate about sharing news and stories from the entertainment industry, especially comic book movies, comedy, and sci-fi. Richard looks to expand his knowledge about movies and TV every day, and he is eager to stay locked into the latest releases and breaking news at every opportunity.
