On Nov. 26, 2025, the “Zootopia 2” movie was released in theaters. Given that the film is the sequel to a beloved childhood movie, viewers had high hopes for its delivery. Almost a decade after the original film’s release, the colorful world of Zootopia continues to leave me in awe.
The original film uses the animal kingdom as a metaphor to convey how prejudice surrounding certain species (race) leaves people divided, which is a relevant issue in today's society.
Often, Disney’s sequels fall a hare short of audience expectations and fail to fur-ther flesh out the story, whether it be in wasted relationship dynamics or lackluster world-building. Watching “Zootopia 2,” it was clear that Disney made an effort to give fans what they wanted. Many film sequels fail to capture what fans love about the original, so I’m glad that “Zootopia” was different.
The bad guys of the sequel hold less of a wow-factor compared to the original film; nonetheless, the role the villains played was very interesting to see. The influence that power and propaganda have on the perception of evil and good throughout the movie is well explored in the social commentary the film makes.
The introduction for the villains was enjoyable by making it clear early on who the “bad guys” were. The villains raise the stakes in the clear attempts to silence Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde. At the end of the day, no-bunny could out-fox Hopps and Wilde. Seeing the triumph over not only the villains but also the characters’ conflict was extremely rewarding.
Additionally, the callbacks of previous characters in the movie added to the nostalgic feel. Seeing the progression of Judy Hopps’ (voiced by Ginnifer Goodwin) and Nick Wilde’s (voiced by Jason Bateman) journey was an enjoyable aspect of the movie. It is not even a equestrian that the character’s iconic “opposites attract” dynamic drew me in to watch the sequel. The movie takes the emotional weaknesses of the charming protagonist duo in order to show the importance of emotional well-being. To me, the inclusion of this really elevated the experience by destigmatizing mental health and showing that being vulnerable is not a weakness but rather shows growth.
“Zootopia 2” dialed up the puns and fang-tastically spiced up the film with pop culture references; some weren’t so sly, while other references can be easily missed if you aren’t paying attention.
Popular celebrities like Robert Irwin, Brenda Song, Macaulay Culkin, Quinta Brunson, Danny Trejo, and Ed Sheeran, to name a few, were brought into the “Zootopia” world, expanding the amazing cast from the first film. I definitely loved the casting choices made for the sequel, as recognizing the actors added to the fun of the experience.
Various movie references like “The Shining,” “Ratatouille,” and “Tangled” brought a lot of fun to the film. The one that I was most excited for was the reference to the popular K-pop group, Stray Kids, which “Zootopia 2” collaborated with to market the film.
Returning back to our beloved characters, the relationship between Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde is one of the best parts of the film. In this movie, the writers burrowed deep into the duo’s connection and how much the two value each otter. One major thing the audience (myself included) wanted to see was the romantic connection between the pair. The tou-can solve a case, but they have yet to become a couple, at least for now.
Still, the movie did a great job of showing a natural progression of the romantic aspect between the characters.The storyline set up multiple situations that suggest romantic dynamics and give fans what they have long been waiting for—Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde becoming an official couple! The post-credits, along with some easter eggs, teasing the making of a third film, where hop-fully will make the pair finally get together!
Whether you swim, gallop, hop, or slither to the movies, go check out this ssssuper fun sequel!
