Whenever Disney starts an announcement with “Coming soon to theatres, the sequel to-” it seems as though the world holds its breath, not knowing whether to feel dread or excitement that their favorite film may be next up on the chopping block of cinematic sequels.
It is widely known that when a sequel to a beloved movie is released, it is rarely more than a meager attempt to prolong a perfect story in an effort to recoup box office revenue. So when Disney Animation Studios announced their work on the project of “Zootopia 2” in February of 2023, the entire cinephile community debated: would this be another hit movie for Disney to spread meaningful themes, or a pathetic waste of budget attempting to pull audiences into the same story?
After its release in the theatres, it was quickly determined that “Zootopia 2” was destined to be a movie that would be remembered as a success. This movie quickly rejuvenated Disney’s dry run at the box office, as it made over $1 billion globally after just 17 days.
“Zootopia 2” jumps into the story following the well-loved characters Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde, high off their successful case in the first movie, and learning to find their way not only in the Zootopia Police Department, but in the complex culture and society of Zootopia as well.
The creators of the duology accomplished a task that a small percentage of movies have been able to: they created a sequel that retained the spirit and vibes from the first movie, telling a meaningful story without trying too hard to make an extension of the first movie. The plot revolved around a deeper exploration of the characters’ identities and the truth behind Zootopia instead of repeating the same storyline from the first movie.
Junior Carriedee Gonzalez shared this sentiment as she stated, “The [sequel] was really good because it continued the story, adding something new without making it seem like it didn’t belong there.”
The movie not only retained the charm and appeal from the first movie, but it also added another level of complexity in the development of characters and world-building that propelled the story and promoted its themes.
The writers were able to bring back loads of familiar faces from the first movie, but also introduced a few new additions to the cast with compelling backstories and diverse attributes, who all contribute to the telling of the story. A fan favorite soon became the character of Gary De’Snake, voiced by Ke Huy Quan, who stole the audience’s heart with his heart-touching background, adorable personality, and comedic addition to the story.
His character represents the discrimination that reptiles, especially snakes, have faced in Zootopia for years because of a misconceived idea built on lies, and he strives to bring justice to his people while making a few new friends along the way.
Characters like Gary De’Snake are just one of many things that made this movie appeal to the audiences, as the major draw is the intense humor and comedic involvement from characters in the story. Nick Wilde was known for his sarcastic remarks and comedic relief, spanning to his emotional involvement, showing the range of emotional attraction that the movie had.
The continuous use of puns and cinematic references kept the audience engaged throughout the entire movie, ending with a humorous fight scene.
Junior Mia Golia stated, “I loved all the little jokes they put in there; it really made me love the movie.”
Of course, with this dose of humor comes another layer to the movie as they were able to keep a light-hearted approach to the deeper themes it explores.
Similar to the first movie, “Zootopia 2” explores the relationships between different species of animals, heavily implying themes of racism and discrimination based on differences, and more importantly, how society has been able to develop with these discriminations.
The overall theme of learning to love and respect each other despite differences is seen in nearly all of the characters in the former and latter movies, especially the snake population, as they all come from different backgrounds and face pressing concerns with identity, discrimination, or prejudices in the world they have to navigate through.
When exploring the themes of this movie, Junior Rian Odea stated, “It handled a lot of the same topics from the movie. We saw themes of gentrification but also of love and finding your family despite your differences.”
A large number of the themes that are explored in this movie can be seen as a reflection of the depths of modern society and what we as mankind have had to overcome and may still be working to rectify in today’s world. This adds a personal and meaningful aspect to the story, as it teaches themes of love despite differences and making the world a better place.
All aspects of this sequel lived up to the expectations from the first movie, from the characters and worldbuilding, all the way to the humor and emotion that display the themes of everyday life. It contributed a meaningful plot that makes it its own movie while retaining the same appeal, all proving to be aspects that will make this sequel one to be remembered!