*This review is spoiler-free under the context that knowledge of the first movie “Zootopia” is known.
After almost a decade, the highly anticipated sequel to “Zootopia,” “Zootopia 2,” was finally released in theatres on November 26, 2025. Following up a modern Disney classic such as “Zootopia” definitely meant high standards with a die-hard fan base. Having watched this over winter break, I can definitely say that this was a big step up from the first installment.
The events of “Zootopia 2” occur shortly after the timeline of the first movie, following detective partners Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde, who are investigating the sudden appearance of a reptile in the mammal-dominant Zootopia metropolis. The duo must go undercover and experience new, undiscovered parts of town. New characters are introduced, including major plot points, Gary De’Snake and the Lynxley family.
The visuals in “Zootopia 2” are stunning, and a big step up from its predecessor. Each scene is animated with painstaking detail, and the visual scenery is incredibly immersive. There are moments in the film where the world is so cinematic, and you can see that life is breathed into this absolute work of art. The city of Zootopia continues to be extremely vibrant and fluid, with the different parts of the city having their own environment and communities. The bustling metropolis is everything and more than you would imagine an animal paradise to look like.
Visuals and aesthetics aside, the storyline is fantastic, and dare I say even better than “Zootopia,” diverting from the original idea of equality between prey and predator, which I had a few problems with.
The whole first movie wants to drive home the point that prey and predator have no reason to be scared of each other, representing humans in a similar way, but unfortunately, it is a weak jab at discrimination and a bad example. Because while animals have an innate biological fear of each other, humans don’t, and the parallel stops. Using biology to try to explain discrimination just isn’t an accurate representation of the real world at all.
Thankfully, this issue is fixed with its sequel. Still tackling ideas such as racism, xenophobia and discrimination, the movie focuses on smaller, more tangible issues, such as the systems of government, power and land ownership. Instead of focusing on the blatant discrimination between races, “Zootopia 2” helps us understand how people in power abuse it to control resources and citizens. As a much more realistic example of the problems faced in the real world, many plot holes are filled and explained in the new film.
Several additions to the cast of “Zootopia” were made. We are introduced to the snake Gary De’Snake, Nibbles Maplestick and the Lynxley family, among other notable characters of the sequel. All written extremely well with many sides to their personalities, each and every one of the new cast leaves a lasting impression on the audience. Among everyone in the film, my favorite of the bunch is Gary. As a snake and reptile, the discrimination he faces is at unprecedented levels, and the real-world parallels of this issue resonate strongly with me. This movie does great storytelling and uses a cute animal world to illustrate pressing social issues like these with a cast of colorful, cartoon characters.
If you couldn’t tell by now, I am a big fan of “Zootopia 2,” much more so than the original “Zootopia”. After watching a couple of disappointing sequels and live-action movies from Disney, this fantastic film shows that there is still hope for the large animation conglomerate. Hopefully, Disney will prove us all wrong and continue to exceed expectations and come up with masterpieces like this.
This is certainly the film of 2025 for me, and while it is still in theatres, take advantage and go see it on the big screen.
Quick facts:
Zootopia 2 (2025)
Rating: PG
Runtime: 1 hr 50 min (Watch the full credits for an easter egg!)
Director: Jared Bush and Byron Howard
My rating: 4.8/5!
