Zootopia 2

Regarding animated Disney films of the past decade, it’s safe to say Zootopia was among the best received. With its thoroughly constructed world and premise, a cast of memorable and sympathetic characters, and well-intentioned (if awkwardly executed) themes, there’s little surprise to its success. With a resume like that, it’s no surprise that this would be the franchise to deliver Disney’s best animated sequel to date.

Zootopia 2 sees the return of Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde, now police partners in the midst of the titular city’s centennial celebration. When a snake mysteriously appears on the scene, our heroes find themselves tied up in a conspiracy that connects Zootopia’s foundation to its reclusive reptilian population. The case is made more difficult by the clashing mindsets of Judy (Ginnifer Goodwin) and Nick (Jason Bateman), who begin to question if they’re as good a team as initially thought.

Much of Zootopia 2’s strengths are tied to its ability to deliver what is expected of a quality sequel. The world is organically expanded with new locations and lore that answer potential questions left unanswered in the previous film. The themes of prejudice are similarly developed, and somewhat improved upon, while also exploring themes of classism, oligarchy, and historical erasure. The cast and characters continue to supply ample personality, humor, and heart, with particular praise towards Fortune Feimster, Patrick Warburton, and especially Ke Huy Quan.

With that said, the amount of characters comes with a cost; some newcomers are given little time to be fully fleshed out, while many returning characters come off as afterthoughts. Fortunately, the latter group refrains from falling into the pitfalls of character regression common in lesser sequels, especially in the case of the main characters. Judy and Nick remain the emotional core of the movie, with their evolving bond and chemistry continuing to solidify them as one of the strongest leading duos in Disney history.

Dare I say it, Zootopia 2 is one of the few sequels that manages to outshine the original. It isn’t perfect by any stretch, but it’s a worthwhile movie you won’t soon fur-get.

Rating: 8.5/10