'Zootopia 2' hit $1 billion, fastest for a PG, animated film

December 13, 2025 | 11:55am

MANILA, Philippines — Disney scored another winner at the box office after new release "Zootopia 2" reached a billion dollars globally in record time.

The sequel to the 2016 Oscar winner zoomed past $1 billion (P59 billion) after just 17 days in cinemas worldwide, making it the fastest PG-rated and animated movie to hit that mark.

It is the third film this year to hit the billion-dollar mark after another Disney release, the live-action adaptation of "Lilo & Stitch," and Chinese animation "Ne Zha 2" which is 2025's highest-grossing film at $1.9 billion (P112 billion).

"Zootopia 2" is also just the 14th animated film to make a billion dollars (including the first movie), and only three aren't by Disney: "The Super Mario Bros. Movie," "Minions," and "Despicable Me 3."

The huge boost is partially due to the China market where "Zootopia 2" currently raked in $430 million (P25. 4 billion) — the second-biggest non-local release in history in the country behind Marvel's “Avengers: Endgame" which tapped out at $632 million (P37.3 billion).

Further adding to the franchise's popularity in China, where Hollywood releases is a rarity, is the opening of Zootopia Land at the Shanghai Disneyland theme park.

The film's co-director and Walt Disney Animation Studios' chief creative office Jared Bush said in statement the entire team "put their heart, soul and passion into this film to tell a story full of joy, imagination, and incredible thoughtfulness."

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"This milestone means the world to us, because more than anything, it means audiences are coming to theaters for a shared experience of watching this movie on the big screen, everyone together, from all walks of life around the world — and that is a Zootopia dream come true," Bush added.

"Zootopia 2" is expected to earn even more entering the Christmas holidays, with its only major competition for huge ticket sales being "Avatar: Fire and Ash" — another Disney property under 20th Century Studios.

Set just days after the events of the first film, Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin) and Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman) find their chemistry as police force partners and friends being tested as rumors of a snake being spotted in the city circulate.

Zootopia has not seen a snake for many years; in fact reptiles and most water creatures aren't often seen in public, which opens new chapters in the films' creative worldbuilding.

Despite their boss' orders, Judy and Nick begin investigating a case concerning a journal detailing the city's origins, particularly the weather walls — structures that allow the different animals to live in their preferred environments.

A pit viper named Gary (Ke Huy Quan) is indeed involved in opposition to a family of lynxes led by patriarch Milton Lynxley (David Straithairn), and the two partners go on the run searching for the truth about Zootopia's history.

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