The Paw Print

By Isabella Sun, Arts & Entertainment Editor

10 years ago, the release of “Zootopia” took Hollywood by storm, reaching a worldwide box office of $1,023,784,947. The acclaimed movie also won 24 awards, including the Academy Award, Golden Globe, Critics’ Choice Movie Award and Annie Award for Best Animated Feature Film. So when Disney CEO Bob Iger announced that a long-awaited sequel to “Zootopia” was in the works, the news was met with excitement. 

I, however, held my breath. Many of Disney’s 2025 movie releases, such as the infamous remake of “Snow White” (which lost well over $100 million), “Moana 2,” “Thunderbolts” and “Captain America: Brave New World” felt more like quick cash grabs. Disney has released some good movies in 2025, like “Lilo & Stitch” and “How to Train Your Dragon,” but the studio’s output has remained inconsistent. So when I watched “Zootopia 2” in theaters, I was pleasantly surprised. The movie greatly exceeded my expectations.

“Zootopia 2” is as imaginative, heartwarming and exciting as the Oscar-winning original and even funnier. It has hilarious animal-word puns and sly references, such as EweTube and HuluZoo, where you can watch shows like “Only Herders in the Building.” Fan-favorite characters are back, like Flash (the sloth from the DMV), Mr. Big (the Arctic shrew mob boss), Gazelle (the gazelle voiced by Shakira) and Bellwether (the sheep and surprise villain at the end of “Zootopia”).

Most importantly, this movie introduces a story about coexistence, identity and the courage it takes to see beyond assumptions—both about others and about ourselves. “Zootopia 2” asks a tougher question: What happens when the city itself has to change?

When watching “Zootopia,” you might be under the impression that the city is a gorgeously designed world where animals of all sizes and habitats live together in peace. While Zootopia depicts a city where nearly all animals live in harmony, it is less peaceful than one might assume. While it is a marvel of design for a wide variety of species, Zootopia is just for land mammals. (If you rewatch the first movie, you will notice there are absolutely no reptiles or birds.)

The plot kicks off with a subtle reveal of the underlying tension between Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin) and Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman), who are unable to cooperate properly due to their differences. They immediately get into trouble after ignoring orders from Police Chief Bogo (Idris Elba) and end up on a wild chase after a perpetrator in a catering van labeled “Amoose Bouche.” Bogo threatens to separate them if they get into trouble again, so they of course get into trouble again. Bogo sends them to a support group for partners who are having trouble adjusting to each other. Although Judy claims that they have no problem with each other, it is obvious that Judy is quite controlling and does not listen to her companion, while Nick hides his emotions behind his jokes.

Following up on the catering van, Judy and Nick attend a fancy gala where a treasured book by a revered Zootopia founder will be displayed. The book belonged to an ancestor of the Lynx family, the family who created the system that enabled the different habitats by providing just the right weather for each neighborhood. At the gala, the book is stolen, leading Judy and Nick on an adventure, riddled with setbacks that put their relationship and lives in jeopardy.

Their adventure introduces terrific new characters, including a pit viper named Gary (Ke Huy Quan), a conspiracy theory podcaster named Nibbles (Fortune Feimster) and an awkward but friendly member of the imperious Lynx family named Pawbert (Andy Samberg). Zootopia’s new mayor is an actor-turned-politician named Brian Winddancer (Patrick Warburton). “Zootopia 2” also introduces new environments, including a desert, an Alpine-like mountain and a coastal setting for the water mammals. 

The story gets complicated, with many moving parts and a lot of action that can get quite confusing and messy, but the focus is on what Judy and Nick are learning about choices, strategies, relationships and being good friends. 

The plot, world-building and character development are all undeniably spectacular. However, no Zootopia discussion is complete without mentioning the music of Gazelle. Shakira returns for the sequel with the high-energy song “Zoo.” While catchy, the new song does not beat the 2016 anthem “Try Everything.” Still, the song is fun to sing along with and is playlist worthy.

The original “Zootopia” won the Annie Award for Best Animated Feature Film, beating out “Finding Dory,” “Kubo and the Two Strings,” “Moana” and “Kung Fu Panda 3.” Whether it can win again is a different story, but the animation is breathtaking. The rendering of reptilian scales, the water physics of the Marsh Market and even the facial expressions show just how far Disney’s technical capabilities have come since 2016.

Whether “Zootopia 2” is better than “Zootopia” is still a heated discussion. I personally think the original slightly edges out the sequel, but ultimately, “Zootopia 2” is a beautifully animated, heartfelt and funny addition to the series. It is well worth the trip back to theaters.