Zootopia 2 breaks records in China with $275 million debut — TradingView News

By Casey Hall and Nicoco Chan

Disney’s ‘Zootopia 2’ has become the highest-grossing foreign animation of all time in China, despite generally low interest in foreign films in the country.

On Monday morning Beijing time, box office tracking site Maoyan showed that Zootopia 2’s local gross had reached 1.95 billion yuan ($275.6 million) in its first six days of release.

“Without a doubt, this is Disney’s most important film in China this year,” said Ashley Dudarenok, founder of Chinese digital consultancy Chozan, whose themes of personal resilience and social harmony resonate with local audiences.

The smash success in China — where sales of Zootopia 2 accounted for about 95% of all box office receipts on its opening weekend — is particularly notable considering the ever-changing landscape for foreign films in China in the nine years since the release of the first film in the Zootopia franchise. The original Zootopia also became the most popular foreign animation in China when it was released in 2016.

Earlier this year, Hollywood films were affected by the trade war between China and the US. Beijing restricted the number of American films that were allowed to be shown in China in retaliation for increased tariffs on Chinese goods – a move that analysts said would have limited impact given the dwindling influence of foreign films in China.

AN EXCEPTION, NOT THE RULE

Hollywood studios have already looked to China, the world’s second-largest film market, for a way to boost their box office. But national films have increasingly surpassed Hollywood productions in China. Earlier this year, Chinese animation “Ne Zha 2” eclipsed Pixar’s “Inside Out 2” to become the world’s highest-grossing animation of all time after grossing nearly $2 billion at the Chinese box office.

Still, Disney seemed confident that Zootopia 2 would find a significant audience in China, with chief executive Bob Iger traveling to Shanghai for a local premiere two weeks ago. Additionally, Disney has partnered with China Eastern Airlines 600115 for a Zootopia 2 themed plane.

And the Shanghai Disneyland complex is home to the world’s only Zootopia-themed land, which debuted in 2023 to capitalize on local affection for the original film.

“Disney relies heavily on major blockbuster releases, which in turn become intellectual property and are monetized across experiences, products and other areas,” said PP Foresight analyst Paolo Pescatore, adding that despite geopolitical tensions and an uncertain macroeconomic environment, China remains a “huge and growing market for its theme parks, films and products.”

According to Chris Fenton, author of “Feeding the Dragon: Inside the Trillion Dollar Dilemma Facing Hollywood, the NBA, and American Business,” a possible negative effect of Zootopia 2’s success could be the false hope it gives Hollywood studios that China is reigniting its passion for foreign films.

“Beijing doesn’t see Hollywood as a solution to curbing consumption (in China), so I wouldn’t interpret this as a change in strategy on Beijing’s part,” he said. “Beijing knows that if Hollywood continues to see some promise in its market, filmmakers will continue to bow to Beijing’s narrative demands.”

($1 = 7.0750 Chinese yuan)