Zootropolis 2
Disney’s 64th animated feature is a frenetic, entertaining sprint through a world of zoological delights.
Alpine twist: Nick Wilde, Gary De'Snake and Judy Hopps.
Photo courtesy of Walt Disney Studios.
It was a premise designed to run and run and scamper, lope and gallop. Imagine a utopian city populated by animals of every stripe, spot and hue, all deemed equal in the eyes of the law of the land. So, this is not just a giant zoo, but a Zootopia, which happens to be the more apt title of the film in North America (because British children don’t know what a utopia is, apparently). With all the characters of nature to choose from, Disney’s animators had a wide canvas from which to draw their material, while serving the truism “all animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others” (to quote George Orwell).
Perhaps in honour of Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, Disney’s first animated star, the filmmakers opted to make the protagonist of their new franchise one Judy Hopps from Bunnyburrow (voiced by Ginnifer Goodwin), a rabbit whose ambition and moral fibre made up for her relative lack of stature. And against impossible odds, she fought for a place in the constabulary and proved herself to be something of a heroine (see Zootropolis), alongside her vulpine partner, former con artist Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman).
The film was a massive success and made more money than Moana, Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin. Indeed, it had something for everyone: a helter-skelter pace to keep the ADHD-advantaged happy, a smorgasbord of visual jokes, a very moral message, heaps of suspense and a bunch of Easter eggs for film buffs. And it was very, very funny. So, a hard act to follow. But that was in 2016 and Disney has been wise not to rush out a quick sequel, but to build a follow-up worthy of the original. And, thus, after such box-office behemoths as Frozen 2 and Moana 2, they bring us another whizz-bang escapade packed to the gunnels with puns, visual gags and narrative twists.
Animal lovers may or may not have noticed that in the first film there was a noticeable absence of snakes, lizards or turtles. It turns out that such creatures – reptiles – have been banned from this Garden of Eden and that Nick Wilde has a particular aversion to snakes. But aren’t reptiles animals, too? When Judy convinces Nick to accompany her to the Zootennial Gala celebrating the city’s hundredth anniversary – against the express wishes of their boss, the buffalo Chief Bogo (Idris Elba) – she confirms her suspicions that a snake will be there and duly sets about to apprehend it. But snakes are slippery critters…
Much of what follows may be beyond the comprehension of most younger children, but there’s enough ingenious slapstick and visual comedy to keep them agog. And for adults, there are the background gags that should amuse (such as a catering company called Amoose Bouche and an outrageous parody of The Shining), so everybody should leave the cinema smiling. There is even some close-to-the-knuckle wordplay (“What the pork!” utters a porcine policeman, while there’s even a sly allusion to a “dick pic” on a mobile phone), hence the film will no doubt benefit from repeated viewings.
Also known as Zootopia 2.
JAMES CAMERON-WILSON
Voices of Ginnifer Goodwin, Jason Bateman, Ke Huy Quan, Fortune Feimster, Andy Samberg, David Strathairn, Shakira, Idris Elba, Patrick Warburton, Quinta Brunson, Danny Trejo, Alan Tudyk, Nate Torrence, Bonnie Hunt, Don Lake, Stephanie Beatriz, Jean Reno, Jenny Slate, Macaulay Culkin, Brenda Song, John Leguizamo, Tommy Lister Jr, Jake Robards, Ed Sheeran, Blake Slatkin, Jared Bush, June Squibb, Rachel House, Michael J. Fox, Mark ‘Rhino’ Smith, Josh Gad, Anika Noni Rose, Dwayne Johnson.
Dir Jared Bush and Byron Howard, Pro Yvett Merino, Screenplay Jared Bush, Pro Des Cory Loftis, Ed Jeremy Milton, Music Michael Giacchino, Sound Jeremy Bowker, Diversity and Inclusion Travis Robinson.
Walt Disney Animation Studios-Walt Disney Studios.
108 mins. USA. 2025. US Rel: 26 November 2025. UK Rel: 28 November 2025. Cert. PG.
