Jason Bateman’s Nick Wilde and Ginnifer Goodwin’s Judy Hopps venture on another adventure through the mammal metropolis, and as the review embargo of Zootopia 2 lifted on Wednesday, the sequel struck a chord with critics who’ve been waiting nearly a decade for this return.
Disney Animation takes a rare victory lap with the fluffy sequel, once again finding a valid reason to contend with the notion that some franchises indeed deserve continuation rather than existing merely as corporate mandates and greed.
— 🍉Zootopia 3 Countdown (@LemonCountsDown) July 30, 2025
Critics Can’t Stop Raving About Zootopia 2
Zootopia 2 commands a mighty 94% approval rating at Rotten Tomatoes, following the rapid publication of 64 American reviewers’ assessments just a day before the film’s release, despite the Thanksgiving holiday. The enthusiasm feels genuine rather than obligatory, with critics praising how the sequel expands the original’s world-building while maintaining the buddy-cop and adventure elements that made the first film stand out in Disney’s animation line-up.
Metacritic reports a score of 74, which may seem substantially quiet for an animated production eyeing golden statues at this year’s Oscars ceremony, though the disparity between aggregators suggests critics appreciate the film more than numerical averages might indicate.
Zootopia 2’s reception places it among a rarified company that only a handful of Disney productions have achieved in the past decade, and now two out of three of them happen to be Zootopia films, which speaks volumes about this franchise’s consistent quality.
Out of 63 animated feature productions by the studio, excluding Pixar releases, Zootopia 2 sits just outside the elitist top 10 club. The movie’s 94% is having a healthy battle to match 2016’s Moana and classic Walt Disney originals from bygone eras like Dumbo, Beauty and the Beast, and Fantasia, all standing at 95%.
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Meanwhile, many might not realize the original Zootopia, also from 2016, achieved 98% and claims third spot tied with Cinderella and One Hundred and One Dalmatians. Only Pinocchio and The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh stand higher at a perfect 100% that simply cannot be beaten.
🐰🦊On my way to find out if ZOOTOPIA 2 is safe for your kids.
What Zootopia 2’s Critical Response Means For Thanksgiving Box Office Domination
Zootopia 2’s Rotten Tomatoes score is indicative of what’s going to be a genuinely happy Thanksgiving, where audiences will loosen their belts to indulge in a delicious and family-friendly theatrical extravaganza fully.
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If Zootopia 2’s critical approval doesn’t reinforce this prediction, one look at the disappointing saga of how Wicked: For Good (68% at Rotten Tomatoes) underwhelmed after a year of breathless anticipation should make plenty of room for the former to dominate. If that’s not convincing enough, consider how Disney’s only legitimate hit this year, the Lilo and Stitch remake, despite being a critical mess, still managed to climb toward a billion and match the original Zootopia’s box office haul.
‘ZOOTOPIA 2’ is aiming for a $500M box office opening weekend.
The only question remaining involves how high this new avatar of Zootopia will climb over the holidays, with practically zero new releases competing for audience attention.
