For fans of Walt Disney Animation Studios, some characters leave a lasting impact long after the credits roll. And when those characters disappear for nearly a decade, anticipation only grows stronger. It’s been nine years since Zootopia (2016) first hit theaters, and during that time, excitement surrounding a potential sequel has only gotten louder.
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While Disney has kept the franchise alive through the Disney+ short-form series Zootopia+, many fans have been holding out hope for a full-length follow-up. That hope finally paid off with some major news revealed during this year’s Annecy International Animation Film Festival—and now, at last, we have the first real look at what’s ahead in Zootopia 2.
The sequel reunites audiences with Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde, who find themselves on a new undercover mission to investigate a slippery new character named Gary De’Snake. Voiced by Oscar-winning actor Ke Huy Quan, Gary is a venomous new resident of the city with a criminal past, and it’s up to our favorite bunny-and-fox duo to figure out exactly what he’s hiding.
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Zootopia 2 will also introduce audiences to some fresh faces. Quinta Brunson joins the cast as Dr. Fuzzby, a well-meaning quokka who serves as Nick and Judy’s therapist. Another new character is Nibbles Maplestick, a conspiracy theorist beaver voiced by comedian Fortune Feimster. Nibbles lives in a new location called Marsh Market, expanding the city of Zootopia even further.
Of course, it wouldn’t be a true sequel without the return of some fan-favorite characters. Ginnifer Goodwin and Jason Bateman are back as Judy and Nick, and pop icon Shakira will reprise her role as Gazelle. She’s also recorded a new song for the film, giving fans another catchy tune to look forward to.
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One of the most exciting announcements to come out of Annecy was the return of legendary Disney director Ron Clements, who is stepping out of retirement to mentor young talent working on the movie. The film was written by Jared Bush and directed by Bush and Byron Howard, both of whom were involved in the original.
Originally released in 2016, Zootopia became a massive hit for Disney, earning over $1 billion at the global box office and ranking as one of the highest-grossing films of that year. Now, with Zootopia 2 officially on the horizon, fans are counting down the days to its release on November 26, 2025.
Will you be there on opening weekend? Let us know in the comments which character you can’t wait to see back on the big screen—and whether you think Gary De’Snake will slither his way into Disney villain history.
