3 Minutes
Zootopia 2 claims Disney's animation crown
Zootopia 2 has sprinted past expectations and box office tallies to become the highest grossing animated film in Disney history. The 2025 sequel has amassed an estimated 1.46 billion dollars worldwide, edging out Frozen 2's long-standing 1.45 billion record and proving that original ideas turned into thoughtful sequels still have blockbuster potential.
The film earned roughly 333 million dollars in the U.S. and an astounding 1.13 billion internationally. It experienced a major holiday surge during its fifth weekend, adding about 87.9 million over a single weekend, and remarkably crossed the 1 billion dollar mark globally in just 17 days — the fastest run to a billion for any PG-rated film.
Why China made a difference Zootopia 2's performance in China was a decisive factor in its ascent. The movie surpassed 500 million dollars in China alone, an exceptional figure for an American release at a time when many Hollywood titles have struggled in the market. Strong local marketing, cultural resonance of the film's themes, and family-friendly release timing combined to produce one of the best results ever seen for a US studio in the region.
How the sequel compares This win places Zootopia 2 alongside a very short list of 2025 titles that topped 1 billion worldwide. Other entries this year included Disney's live action Lilo and Stitch at about 1.03 billion, and the Chinese animation juggernaut Ne Zha 2, which led the year with over 2.2 billion. The new Zootopia entry also stacks nicely next to its franchise predecessor: the first Zootopia won an Oscar for Best Animated Feature and set a strong tone for the sequel's thematic ambition and social storytelling.
Story, stakes, and audience reaction The sequel reunites Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde as they pursue a mysterious reptilian intruder whose arrival upends the mammal-run metropolis. The case forces the duo into unexpected corners of the city and puts their evolving partnership under intense pressure. Fans and critics have praised the film for blending smart, adult-friendly satire with the warmth and visual inventiveness that defined the original.
Industry perspective and trends Zootopia 2's success highlights several current box office trends: sequels that expand a thoughtful fictional world, strategic timing around holidays, and the increasing importance of the Chinese market. It also demonstrates that family animation remains one of the most reliable genres for global revenue when combined with strong storytelling and franchise identity.
Final note More than a commercial triumph, Zootopia 2 reinforces that animation can be both profitable and meaningful, balancing spectacle with social curiosity and character-driven stakes.
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