One Movie Later: Zootopia 2 Was a Pretty Good Sequel
by James Coulter
Nearly ten years ago, Disney released Zootopia, an animated standout of the 2010s and one of my personal favorites. It blended a sharp, funny buddy‑cop story with surprisingly serious themes such as systemic prejudice, scapegoating, and political corruption while remaining family-friendly.
At the time, Zootopia felt unusually prescient, arguing for diversity and warning how opportunistic politicians exploit fear for gain. Now, almost a decade later, Disney has returned to that world of furry socio-political allegory with Zootopia 2. But will it become as un-fur-getable as the original movie? Or will it be yet another run-of-the-mill sequel that will be long fur-gotten?
Set several years after the original film, Zootopia 2 reunites Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde. Nick has graduated from the academy and now works with Judy, but their partnership is strained: Judy wants to leap into danger to solve a case while Nick prefers to keep them both out of danger.
Soon, a case about a smuggled snake—an animal banned from Zootopia after a century-old incident—unfolds into a plot to steal the city founder’s journal. What starts as a routine theft soon hints at a much deeper conspiracy tied to Zootopia’s origins. Are things as they seem? And how deep is this conspiracy?
Disney animated films have a lackluster track record with sequels. Either they’re a re-tread of the original (Moana 2), a chaotic mess (Ralph Breaks the Internet), or a lackluster follow-up (Frozen 2). Zootopia 2, thankfully, bucks this trend. While the sequel doesn’t surpass the original, it stands on its own as a solid follow-up that expands the world and themes audiences loved.
Zootopia 2 continues the franchise’s interest in tackling socio‑political issues. Where the first film focused on systemic prejudice and corruption, this one explores immigration, colonization, and revisionist histories. The film delivers its message clearly without becoming heavy‑handed, keeping the story family‑friendly while remaining relevant to contemporary debates.
The movie’s strongest asset is the development of its main character. Judy and Nick’s push‑and‑pull dynamic from the original movie remains central: Judy’s impulsive idealism clashes with Nick’s cautious pragmatism, creating believable friction and emotional stakes that drive the film.
The sequel brings back familiar faces and adds a colorful supporting cast of crazy characters: an eccentric beaver podcaster, a theatrical horse‑turned‑politician, two zebra officers with an almost bro-amntic relationship, and a rough‑around‑the‑edges iguana who runs a speakeasy. Each new character is given enough screen time to be memorable without overstaying their welcome.
The central conspiracy is intriguing but becomes predictable once the setup is established in the first act. Still, the film compensates with twists, character reveals, and high‑energy action, and the third act delivers a satisfying, extended climax that keeps momentum until the end. Just when one climacticscene reaches its end, you realize there’s still more movie to go.
Another big problem is one that commonly plagues sequels: the incessant need for the sequel to remind you of the original movie. The sequel leans on callbacks to the original, which can feel like nostalgia for nostalgia’s sake. That said, it balances familiar beats with fresh ideas enough to feel like a meaningful continuation rather than a mere retread.
Overall, while not as groundbreaking as the original, Zootopia 2 is a thoughtful, entertaining sequel that deepens the franchise’s themes, strengthens its central relationship, develops old characters while introducing new ones, and offers poignant socio-political commentary through talking animals.
