Disney has a collection of lucrative subsidiaries to count on to supply hit films, like Pixar, Marvel, and Lucasfilm, but that hasn’t stopped the company from producing major in-house hits of its own. One of the Mouse House’s biggest blockbusters of the past decade is Zootopia, which earned over $1 billion worldwide and won the Oscar for Best Animated Feature. In particular, Zootopia earned a considerable amount of praise for telling a surprisingly mature story that blended thoughtful social commentary in an entertaining, kid-friendly package. That reception made upcoming sequel Zootopia 2 one of the year’s most anticipated films, and it looks like the follow-up was worth the nine-year wait.
Videos by ComicBook.com
As of this writing, Zootopia 2 has a critics score of 95% on Rotten Tomatoes, with 61 reviews submitted. That figure is in the same ballpark as the first Zootopia, which earned a Certified Fresh mark of 98%. It’s also the highest score for a Walt Disney Animation Studios production since Encanto (92%) in 2021. The Zootopia 2 score is a marked improvement over the movies that have come out in the interim: Strange World (72%), Wish (48%), and Moana 2 (61%).
Zootopia 2 Could End Disney Animation’s Oscar Drought
Coincidentally, Encanto, which won the Oscar for Best Animated Feature, was also the last time a Disney Animation Studios production was even nominated for the award. Disney has distributed multiple nominees for this category in the years since, but those have all been Pixar films, such as Turning Red and Inside Out 2. So it’s been an atypically extended awards drought for Disney’s in-house animation studio, which has earned 13 Best Animated Feature nominations and four wins in its history. Based on the response, Zootopia 2 is going to end that cold streak.
No critics consensus for Zootopia 2 has been published yet, but the reviews so far have largely praised it for being another beautifully animated film that combines humor with an engaging story to deliver something special. Through the new character of Gary De’Snake, the filmmakers have crafted a poignant narrative that explores similar themes as the first film through a different lens, making Zootopia 2 a worthy addition to the Disney Animation canon. Because it’s a sequel, some of the freshness of the premise has been lost, but Zootopia 2 still has plenty of heart and action, making it one of the year’s best animated films.
Especially since Zootopia 2 is shaping up to be one of 2025’s biggest box office hits, it wouldn’t be a shock to see it secure a Best Animated Feature nomination. With Pixar’s Elio flopping over the summer, Disney will put all of its campaigning efforts behind Zootopia 2, hoping to tap into what made the original a favorite amongst awards voters. The bigger question might be whether or not Zootopia 2 can take the trophy home. This doesn’t appear to be the deepest field of Animated Feature contenders, but sequels have a mixed track record when it comes to wins. Only two — Toy Story 3 and Toy Story 4 — have pulled off the feat. Zootopia 2 may be in a stronger position compared to other sequel nominees, though it still has to contend with Netflix sensation Kpop Demon Hunters.
Regardless of how Zootopia 2 fares on the awards circuit, the combination of strong reviews and stellar box office makes it the hit across the board Disney needed after what’s been an uneven year. Though the first Zootopia was widely acclaimed, it wasn’t a guarantee the sequel would follow suit; look no further than last year’s Moana 2, which earned more mixed reviews than its beloved predecessor, for proof. It’s great to see that Zootopia 2 reaches the high bar set by the original film, deservedly making this one of Disney’s best franchises of all time.
What do you think? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
Most Viewed
-
Courtesy of Netflix -
Image Courtesy of HBO -
Image courtesy of TBS and Enishiya
