Zootopia 2: Disney Exec Promises Sequel Will Be 'As Good Or Better' Than First Movie (Exclusive)

According to a Disney Animation producer, Zootopia 2 will be “as good or better” than the original film.

The first movie, starring Ginnifer Goodwin and Jason Bateman, was released on March 4, 2016. Since then, the only other stories audiences have gotten in that world came in the form of a short series on Disney+ titled Zootopia+, which debuted on November 9, 2022.

Thankfully, a proper sequel was announced in February 2023 alongside Frozen 3 and Toy Story 5. But besides knowing about the mere existence of the long-awaited sequel, nothing else is known about Zootopia 2.

Zootopia 2 Will One-Up Original Disney Film

While talking exclusively to The Direct’s Russ Milheim about his latest Disney Animated short Once Upon a Studio, Brad Simonsen offered an update on the highly anticipated Zootopia 2.

Simonsen, who produced the original 2016 animated movie, shared how he “know[s] that this next one’s going to take it to another level” compared to the original and how it’ll be just as “good or better” than the first:

“We're all super excited about it. And it's a world that I was part of the first movie, and it was one of the most amazing experiences in my life, to be honest. And I know that this next one's going to take it to another level and be, as you know, as good or better than the first. So we're super excited about that project.”

What Can Fans Expect From Zootopia 2?

While Zootopia 2 seems like an obvious movie for Disney, it is strange that it took so long for the studio to get the ball rolling. But what might a proper sequel offer audiences?

Fans should expect to see Ginnifer Goodwin’s Judy Hopps and Jason Bateman’s Nick Wilde return. Beyond that, the creatives have a wide berth for whatever the next movie will look like.

Perhaps some new types of animals could be introduced into Zootopia, like reptiles or marine life. It would also be neat to see primates explored; they were purposefully left out of the first movie to further the divide between the animals seen on screen and humans themselves.

It could also be fun to see urban legends, like Bigfoot or the Yeti, appear. Maybe Disney can go as far as including fantastical creatures, like dragons or unicorns.

For fans looking for new content from the franchise sooner, make sure to make a trip to Shanghai Disneyland later this year to visit its upcoming Zootopia-themed land and new attraction.

While Zootopia 2 doesn’t currently have a release date, fans can check out Zootopia+ on Disney+, which contains a few new stories set in the colorful world of the original film.