The original Zootopia (2016) was a critical and commercial success for the Walt Disney Company, and that's putting it lightly. With a box office haul of $1,025,485,003 worldwide, the fox and bunny gave a certain pair of Arendelle royals a bit of competition.
That being said, it might also be the case that the original film simply came out at the right time to resonate with its then-current audience. In a time when prejudice and violence ran rampant, a film that paralleled the world around its viewers was a little more than wild. With a second movie in production, something feels eerily familiar.
Here We Go Again
Zootopia came out in 2016, a year of absolute chaos. The world was overrun with violence, turmoil, and division. Similar to how Judy Hopps' idealistic view of the place where "anyone can be anything," so too were many perspectives as everything seemed to unravel for many impressionable onlookers.
Terrorist attacks, mass shootings, divisive elections, and instances of overwhelming violence and prejudice were the flavor of the day in 2016, and it's easy to see how humanity went a little "savage." In the words of Mr. Big, " We may be evolved, but deep down, we're still animals."
For many, Zootopia was Disney preparing its younger audiences for the perils of the world that lay before them as they grew up, but it was also a social commentary on racism, bullying, and the consequences of prejudices. Naturally, these themes earned it something of a "woke" reputation.
The original film featured a city divided, a conspiracy involving a braggart politician, and a population against each other after acts of violence overwhelm both predators and prey alike. Starting to sound familiar?
While that might be partially true, Disney's anthropomorphic buddy cop movie was still the right meeting of the mediums. With the recent reports of terrorist attacks, gun violence, and yet another divisive presidential election, it feels like history is indeed repeating itself.
Although it's been almost a decade since we last saw Nick and Judy on the big screen, it feels like Disney is gearing up for yet another successful smash (especially with Oscar winners like Ke Huy Quan in the mix). The question is, will audiences get the memo this time around?
Zootopia 2 premieres November 26, 2025.