(Photo courtesy of IMDb.com) Left to right, Nick Wilde, Gary De’Snake, Judy Hopps

Jesse Nguyen
Connector Editor

Crafty fox Nick Wilde and determined rabbit Judy Hopps make their box office shattering return to the big screen in “Zootopia 2,” released Nov. 26th, 2025, almost 9 years after the first Zootopia released in 2016. In its first weekend, the film earned over $550 million worldwide.  

The film starts off with Nick and Judy’s new lives as police officers in Zootopia. Unsatisfied with how they’re still treated like rookies, they go against orders and in their undercover endeavors, they are led to an interesting case about the reptilians of the “Zootopia” world, a notably missing species from the first film. During the case, however, cracks in Nick and Judy’s relationship begin to show itself due to their conflicting ideals. 

Nick and Judy’s relationship is explored in high depth in “Zootopia 2,” highlighting how Nicks childhood experience of alienation and stereotyping have led to a lack of emotional intelligence, and how Judy’s determination to prove herself can cost the health of her relationships. It’s nicely crafted and feels natural, because even though Nick and Judy’s chemistry was off the rails in the first film, their lived experiences would eventually catch up to them as soon as they start caring about each other. Despite their difficulties, the film makes it incredibly clear how precious they are to each other, and the movie never falters in showcasing their affection. Jason Bateman in particular gives an absolutely incredible performance as a nonchalant fox finally opening up his emotions.  

In terms of action, plot and pacing, the film is just as colorful and bombastic as the first, with high stakes action moments paced nicely with impactful emotional beats. It’s paced in a way where viewers are able to admire and laugh at action sequences, but also cooldown and process emotional scenes in their sincerity. Its action scenes are reminiscent of the fast paced, disastrous and genuinely humorous scenes of “The Bad Guys 2,” which is an incredible feat.  

The social allegories that made “Zootopia” so brilliant the first time around are present in “Zootopia 2” with even more nuance. The first “Zootopia” explores themes of racial injustice and stereotyping in its diverse world of anthropomorphized characters, offering a unique perspective on how discrimination is formed and carried out. These societal themes persist in “Zootopia 2,” but the film explores a more detailed social issue, generational colonization, forced migration and expansionism. This theme is a nice natural expansion from the simple predator vs. prey dynamic in the first film which, at times, felt oversimplified. It also helps further develop the endlessly fascinating world of “Zootopia” by providing a realistic yet touching historical perspective to its universe and is also relevant to humanities’ modern-day politics. 

The handful of new characters and species serve as the center of this theme. Gary De’Snake, voice performed by Ke Huy Quan, represents the reptilians of the “Zootopia” universe, who similarly to foxes, are feared by pretty much everyone. It is revealed later in the film that reptilians played a significant part in Zootopia city’s history, alongside the Lynxley family, with estranged son Pawbert voiced by Andy Samberg taking center stage. 

Instead of opting for a predator perspective for the villains of “Zootopia 2,” the film showcases territorial animals, which provides a natural, logical direction for the conflict of the film. It further highlights that, while “Zootopia” mirrors some of humanities’ societal issues, “Zootopia” is ultimately comprised of animals of different species, something that is not applicable to humans. The film takes this philosophy and expertly crafts nuanced themes and ideas enjoyable for adults, but also digestible for any children watching the film.  

In an age of half-rushed sequels, “Zootopia 2” was pleasantly surprising in how after 9 years, it still managed to carry the same meaningful message that the first film did while simultaneously shining newfound light on its beloved cast.  

Grade: A