Zootopia 2 is so impressive that it exposes a rare flaw in Disney

Zootopia 2 arrives as one of Disney’s best-constructed sequels in recent years. Rather than just repeating the first film’s winning formula, Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde’s new adventure understands exactly what made the original so beloved and delves deeper into each of those layers. The sequel not only expands the universe of the most famous animal city in modern animation, but also delivers precise and emotional development for its protagonists.

Unlike Moana 2 (2024), which seemed to exist much more to capitalize on the global success of the first animation, Zootopia 2 justifies its existence from the first minutes. The story delves into new social areas, explores new neighborhoods in the metropolis and creates situations that recapture the essence of urban satire of the original. Judy and Nick continue to be the heart of the plot, now even more in tune, even more human and even more charismatic.

The presence of Chief Bogo forcing the duo to participate in the Partners in Crisis counseling program works as a renewal of the dynamic between them. It’s a simple but powerful narrative device that makes room for vulnerability, humor and conversations that really matter for the characters’ evolution. The film understands that growing emotionally is as much a part of these heroes’ journeys as unraveling mysteries.

And when the enigmatic Gary De’Snake, a poisonous and unpredictable reptile, appears, the plot gains a new rhythm. The case involving the newcomer forces the protagonists to traverse unknown areas of Zootopia, each filled with new creatures, new dangers and new social criticisms. The sequence builds an even more complex scenario, alive and full of narrative possibilities.

Zootopia 2 is a rare case

This is precisely where the film’s biggest flaw arises. Zootopia 2 is so rich, so full of ideas and so efficient in developing its universe that 1h48min seem insufficient for everything the narrative proposes. It’s not that something is missing; is that there is so much interesting material that the audience finishes the session with the clear feeling that the story could continue for another half hour without losing quality.

This feeling does not arise due to flaws, but because of the film’s absolute success in creating charismatic characters, unprecedented settings and conflicts that deserved more screen time. The city continues to be one of Disney’s most creative settings, and each new district introduced seems to invite audiences to explore that world even further.

Zootopia 2 therefore creates a rare paradox for a sequel. He is so good, so sure of his own identity and so successful in what he proposes that he ends up leaving room for an inevitable expectation: Disney has plenty of material to transform this universe into a trilogy. If the objective was to prove that the franchise still has momentum, the mission was accomplished with such force that the animation’s only flaw is that it ends too soon. Watch the trailer below: