Detectives Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde find themselves on the twisting trail of a mysterious reptile who turns the mammal metropolis of Zootopia upside down. Testing their growing partnership like never before, they go under cover in new parts of town to crack the case.
Director: Jared Bush, Byron Howard
Cast: Ginnifer Goodwin, Jason Bateman, Shakira, Idris Elba, Ke Huy Quan, Fortune Feimster, Andy Samberg, David Strathairn, Patrick Warburton, Quinta Brunson, Danny Trejo
Release Date: November 26, 2025
Genre: Animation, Action, Adventure, Comedy, Crime, Family, Mystery
Rated PG for action/violence and rude humor.
Runtime: 1h 48m
Review:
Zootopia 2 returns with an endless amount of animal puns, a fun crime mystery paired with a buddy/romantic comedy brought to life in a lushly animated kid’s movie which is powered by the chemistry of Ginnifer Goodwin and Jason Bateman. Jared Bush and Byron Howard take over behind the camera with Bush also writing the script for this sequel which has an infectious energy from the start as we reintroduced into the Zootopia world. Each action set piece is packed with an impressive level of detail and depth splashed onscreen that gives the film a palatable vibrancy throughout. There is plenty to see as we follow our central duo try to solve another large-scale mystery that has them on the run from the police and a wealthy family who’s desperate to hide family secrets. The plot is far more layered and thoughtful than most family films with it switching gears fairly seamlessly between its central mystery and the duo opposites attract partnership dynamic. The mystery does offer up some heady allusions to the history being erased along with smatterings of societal and racial inequalities. Younger kids are sure to miss most of these story threads but you have to appreciate the thoughtful approach which make the story feel a bit more meaningful than just something more mindless. It all works because of Ginnifer Goodwin and Jason Bateman natural chemistry together as mismatched partners who try to find a way to appreciate their differences in order to become a better pair. Goodwin easily jumps back into Judy Hopps overachieving, optimistic bunny fur which still feels like a riff on Leslie Knopp from Parks and Recreation. Jason Bateman has perfected his deadpan delivery now which is perfectly suited for his reformed con artist red fox. Their back and forth are playful but heartfelt thanks to a sharp script with gives them plenty of emotional depth as they come to terms to the depth of their connection. They do an excellent job of making it all feel organic and natural even amongst the zaniness going on around them. Ke Huy Quan and Fortune Feimster join the fray here as Gary De'Snake a pit viper trying to help his family and a beaver conspiracy theorist who joins Hopps and Wilde solve the mystery. They both make the most of their screen time with Quan bringing his usual earnestness to the role with Feimster providing a sort of manic energy that’s hilarious. The cast and story make Zootopia 2 a fun journey but it does start to lag a bit in the final act with some plot devices coming off a retread which could have been less noticeable with the help of with a few edits here and there to make it a more efficient experience overall.
B+
