Zootopia 2 and the changes it brings, almost a decade after the first installment

Nine years is long enough to graduate twice, switch careers three times, and reshape what it means to return.

Picture from: IMDb Zootopia 2

Zootopia came out in 2016 and pretty much everyone loved it. A bunny cop and a fox con artist solving crimes together? It worked. The film made over a billion dollars and took home an Oscar. Not bad for a bunch of talking animals.

Nine years later, we finally got Zootopia 2. And clearly, people were hungry for it. The sequel opened in 4,000 theatres and has already earned nearly a billion dollars worldwide.

Nearly half of that came from China, where the first film has over 2 million reviews and a 9.3 rating.

Let’s talk about the animation first. It looks absolutely stunning. Disney really outdid themselves this time.

Gary the snake has over 3,000 individual scales on his body. Every single one of them moves. The team even invented new technology just to make him look real. This level of detail is undeniably impressive.

Gary is a well-crafted character. He’s kindhearted, sweet, and surprisingly competent.

Picture from: IMDb Zootopia 2

I understand why people love him.

Good snakes in media felt rare and it was a very good treat indeed!

-draktonaussiecat on Reddit

Here is where the experience becomes complicated. This might not be as good experience as for some viewers.

Around half of all adults feel anxious about snakes, and about 2-3% meet the diagnostic criteria for snake phobia. The scary part? Research shows that even looking at a picture or cartoon of a reptile can trigger real fear responses. So yes, your panic during that Gary scene was scientifically valid.

All that effort into the visuals? I felt every bit of it.

But when Gary wrapped around Judy, my sanity left the room. Every close-up of those 3,000 individually animated scales made my fight-or-flight response go crazy. That is a problem only for people who have snake phobia like me. But I can’t deny it the visual animation is genuinely impressive.

Now let’s talk about the story.

If you’ve watched enough Disney sequels, Zootopia 2 might feel like catching up with an old friend. Familiar, comfortable, and not particularly surprising. It’s like a formula: a mystery, a clue, a misunderstanding, and a twist villain who turns out to be someone you trusted. Not bad, just predictable.

Disney loves a twist villain the friendly character who turns evil at the end. It worked well in Frozen, where Hans was a genuine shock. But then came Big Hero 6, Wreck-It Ralph, Zootopia, and Moana, all using the same trick.When you see it that many times, the surprise disappears.

In the first film, Bellwether pretended to be harmless, then turned evil. In this one, Pawbert does the exact same thing. The movie even acknowledges it right before Pawbert betrays her, Judy admits she was betrayed once before. Then it happens again.

While Zootopia 2 delivers a few laughs, its humor feels carefully managed, putting comfort over emotional depth.

– From The Guardian: Peter Bradshaw

Still, the story’s familiarity becomes easier to accept whenever Nick Wilde and Judy Hopps appear on the same scene.

Picture from: IMDb Zootopia 2

Nine years is a long wait, but their chemistry has only grown deeper. The film is full of little details fans will love.

In the opening, Nick and Judy go undercover as a couple with a baby, Nick wearing a “Foxy Dad” shirt. Later during the gala scene, Nick sees Judy chatting with Pawbert and gets so distracted he bumps into another guest.

When the two investigate the case, the two are mistaken for a couple on their ‘anniversary’ and serenaded by a walrus singing a classic Disney love song. Even the mountain goats assume they are headed for a honeymoon suite.

Picture from: IMDb Zootopia 2

The most meaningful moment comes later. After nearly losing each other, they finally say what they have been holding back. Judy calls Nick her “fluffle.” Nick calls Judy his “pack.” Each uses their own species’ word for family. Their ally Nibbles watches in disbelief and mutters, “Now that is what we call an overshare.”

These moments feel far beyond workplace chemistry.

The film never confirms whether their relationship is romance or friendship. Still, the final image of Judy alone, replaying Nick’s “love you, partner” on her carrot recorder, feels like something more than just a work partners.

Picture From Weibo: 椰果雪饼

For anyone who waited nine years, that says enough.

So, the plot is predictable, and I still cannot look at Gary without my skin crawling. But honestly? I went in for Nick and Judy, and they delivered. Nine years of waiting, and these two are still the best part of Zootopia for me. Would I watch it again? Probably, though some scenes are easier to avoid than others.