The long-awaited return to the world of Zootopia has arrived with explosive momentum. Zootopia 2 has smashed global records, earning an estimated $556 million during its opening weekend and securing the title of 2025’s biggest worldwide debut for any film. The animated blockbuster, released over the Thanksgiving holiday, delivered a powerful performance across international markets, with Disney celebrating the film’s historic milestone.
The sequel soared at the domestic box office, generating $156 million over the extended five-day Thanksgiving weekend, while international markets contributed an impressive $400 million. This catapults Zootopia 2 into the position of the fourth-largest global opening of all time, as well as the highest opening for an animated film in history.
China played a major role in this record-breaking success. The film has now become the highest-grossing foreign animated release in the country. According to reports, Zootopia 2 earned 1.95 billion yuan (approximately $275.6 million) in its first six days, securing its place as the second-largest foreign-language film opening ever in China—surpassed only by Avengers: Endgame.
Directed by Jared Bush and Byron Howard, and produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios, Zootopia 2 reunites fans with beloved characters Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde. Joined by new characters voiced by Ginnifer Goodwin, Jason Bateman, and Ke Huy Quan, the film follows the duo as they unravel a mystery involving a new reptilian resident, Gary De’Snake, during a grand gala event in the city.
Reflecting on the film’s appeal, Disney’s Chief Creative Officer Jared Bush explained that the magic of Zootopia lies in viewers seeing themselves in its characters. “Everyone identifies with someone in this world—your teacher, a friend, a coworker, someone at the DMV. The universality of the characters is what makes Zootopia special,” he shared.
