Disney has historically dominated the top of the box office chart, but that hasn’t been the case in 2025. With the exception of the live-action Lilo & Stitch remake (which, to be fair, is one of the year’s highest-grossing titles with over $1 billion worldwide), the Mouse House’s film slate has largely underwhelmed. The likes of Captain America: Brave New World, Thunderbolts*, and Elio disappointed commercially earlier in the year, and things didn’t get any better for Disney when Tron: Ares arrived in October. Rather than sparking new interest in the franchise, Ares is on track to lose at least $100 million. Fortunately, the massive rebound the studio needs is right around the horizon: Zootopia 2.
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According to Deadline, Zootopia 2 is projected to gross $125+ million domestically over its first five days (the film opens on November 26th, the day before Thanksgiving). While that figure is significantly behind the record-breaking haul Moana 2 pulled in last Thanksgiving ($225.4 million), it’s still a very strong debut and would make for one of the biggest holiday weekends in history. Depending on what Zootopia 2‘s actual gross is, it could surpass Frozen 2 as the second-highest Thanksgiving frame ever.
Thanksgiving Releases Will Revitalize the Box Office
Last month was the worst October at the box office in 27 years (excluding 2020), but it looks like things are going to change in a big way in November. Even if Predator: Badlands doesn’t set the box office on fire this weekend (estimated opening: $25+ million), it’ll be a very happy Thanksgiving for theater owners. The Zootopia 2 projections come hot on the heels of initial estimates for Wicked: For Good; the fantasy musical is poised to earn between $112-115 million domestically in its opening weekend, and it should hold very well through the holiday frame. The stage is set for a repeat of last Thanksgiving, when Wicked and Moana 2 were massive draws.
Though it’s been nearly a decade since the first Zootopia premiered, it isn’t surprising to see the sequel is going to be a major hit. The 2016 original crossed the $1 billion milestone, making it one of the highest-grossing films of that year. Zootopia has long been a fan-favorite Disney animated film (it’s considered one of the studio’s best works thanks to its mature storytelling approach reminiscent of Pixar’s strongest efforts), so there’s been a lot of interest in a follow-up. The Zootopia 2 trailers have teased another combination of savvy social commentary and entertaining animation hijinks, adding to anticipation fans have.
Zootopia 2 has a great chance of joining its predecessor in the $1 billion club. If it reaches those heights, it will quickly become one of the highest-grossing films of the year. Only one Hollywood movie has hit that mark this year (Lilo & Stitch; Chinese animated film Ne Zha 2 leads the pack with $2 billion). Though it will be competing for attention with epic finale Wicked: For Good, Moana 2 proved last year it’s possible for a Disney animated sequel and a Wicked movie to coexist at the box office and post massive numbers. Additionally, Deadline noted that advanced ticket sales for Zootopia 2 are “in line with Pixar’s Inside Out 2,” which grossed over $1 billion last summer. That stat bodes very well for Zootopia 2‘s prospects.
This should be just the beginning of a lucrative holiday season for Disney. The studio is set to dominate the Christmas window this year with James Cameron’s Avatar: Fire and Ash, the third installment of a franchise that’s already produced a pair of $2 billion hits. It’s still too early for Fire and Ash box office projections to be available, but if Cameron’s track record is anything to go by, it will be the biggest draw come December. Even if Zootopia 2 and Avatar: Fire and Ash don’t quite match their predecessors, they’ll still help Disney end a rough year on a high note.
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Image courtesy of Lucasfilm -
Image courtesy of Stage 6 Films
