Zootopia 2 First Reviews: An Uproariously Funny, visually dazzling Sequel Worth the Wait

After almost 10 years, Disney takes audiences back to the land of Zootopia, where animals live in harmony (mostly) alongside each other, and a rookie cop named Judy Hopps (voiced by Ginnifer Goodwin) and her new partner Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman) are onto a new mystery. The first reviews for Zootopia 2 are in, and critics are howling with praise for it, from its thoughtful themes and immersive world-building to its gag-a-minute comedy and dazzling visuals. Here’s what critics are saying about Zootopia 2: Where Zootopia was about these two learning to trust one another, its sequel concerns the trickier goal of mutual respect… These movies are comedies first and crime-film homages second, but it’s their tertiary value as social commentary that makes the franchise so indispensable: Behind the laughs are teachable moments… With the Zootopia movies, there’s seldom any doubt that while Nick and Judy have our attention, life is teeming just out of frame — which naturally suggests an infinite number of stories might be told in Zootopia’s seemingly incompatible zones… But if there was any mystery to whether the creative team could sustain Zootopia’s charms, Nick and Judy have effectively put our minds to rest.— Peter Debruge, Variety That’s not to imply that Zootopia 2 isn’t funny, zippy, and highly enjoyable — it is indeed — but it’s also got the kind of heart that has too long seemed to be missing from other Disney animated offerings. There’s a weight to the messaging of the film. There’s real care behind the bond between Nick and Judy… Worth the wait? Yes, and we can’t wait for the next one to take wing (wink).— Kate Erbland, IndieWire Zootopia 2 can take the title as Disney’s most effective animated sequel yet. In most regards, the formula that propelled the first one to hit status remains unchanged: an encyclopedia of animal puns, an upbeat tune by Shakira and a twist villain. And yet, Zootopia 2 arrives as an expansion with a punchier, more focused approach to its mature ideas.— Carlos Aguilar, Los Angeles Times (Photo by ©Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures) This sequel… proves more than worth the lengthy wait, knocking it out of the park with its dazzling visuals, sophisticated humor and doses of genuine emotion… The plot is just an excuse for a series of uproarious episodes featuring delightful animal characters both old and new… While no individual scene matches the brilliance of the previous film’s classic sequence featuring a sloth DMV clerk… Zootopia 2 features one hysterical gag after another beautifully orchestrated by co-directors Jared Bush and Byron Howard.— Frank Scheck, Hollywood Reporter Zootopia 2 manages to capture the magic of the first film and give us something more to be excited about within the world and the lore of Zootopia… Like any good Disney movie, the themes presented in Zootopia 2 are significantly deeper than the surface level concept… Zootopia 2 is well worth the nearly 10 year wait for it and hopefully we’ll be back with Nick, Judy, and Gary sooner rather than later.— Rachel Leishman, The Mary Sue The first Zootopia was such a joy that it’s almost surprising to find Zootopia 2, arriving nearly a decade later, just as charming, funny, and fiercely entertaining. What could have been a phoned-in, cynical cash grab instead becomes a heartfelt action comedy crafted with care… Ultimately, this sequel is packed with humor, action, and heart, culminating in emotional declarations that underscore how meaningful Judy and Nick’s bond has become. By the end, Zootopia 2 not only satisfies longtime fans but leaves room for a third installment.— Sandie Angulo Chen, Common Sense Media (Photo by Disney) Zootopia 2 is actually quite good: frequently funny, packed with clever gags and lively set pieces, and anchored by a rich thematic core… This sequel marks a return to the kind of consistent quality we once expected from the House of Mouse, buoyed by being a multi-quadrant good hang. To summarize: it was so wonderful.— Matt Oakes, Silver Screen Riot Just because a sequel isn’t ambitious doesn’t necessarily mean it can’t be at least decent. Zootopia 2 falls squarely into this category. It’s thoroughly entertaining, fast-paced and will surely please kids, especially age 10 and under. Parents might tap an impatient toe now and then, but it’s got plenty of little in-jokes and sly references to keep the adults engaged.— Christopher Lloyd, The Film Yap Like the first movie, Zootopia 2 is frantically paced, highly eccentric, and uniquely focused on the bond between our two protagonists… Zootopia 2 is gorgeously animated, absurdly fun, and hilarious… Yet, it’s cloaked in this familiarity that, at best, feels like a homage to buddy cop franchises such as Lethal Weapon and, at worst, feels like the sequel is choosing the safest way to expand the franchise.— Tyler Taing, Discussing Film (Photo by Disney) Zootopia 2, directed by Jared Bush and Byron Howard (both veterans from the first film), is, like many long-in-coming sequels, a slightly watered down version of what came before… But the central relationship of Judy and Nick, a team-up with some echoes of 48 Hours, remains a compelling one, and the primary reason that Zootopia 2 will be plenty satisfying to families seeking more cartoony lions and tigers and bears (oh my) this November. It looks great, it’s mildly funny and animal cities are fun— Jake Coyle, Associated Press The good news is that Disney has tried to be even more thoughtful and nuanced with its oppression metaphors this time around. The bad news is that the Mouse House also seems less invested in Zootopia as an artistic effort, churning out a sequel that feels more like a Disney+ TV show than an animated epic.— Caroline Siede, AV Club (Photo by ©Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures) There are a few laughs in Z2: of course there are. But they are algorithmically generated and corporately approved. It’s the kind of movie you put on an iPad to keep the children quiet on a long plane or train journey; nothing wrong with that of course, but the heart and soul are lacking.— Peter Bradshaw, Guardian Zootopia 2 comes on strong. Too strong. It seeks to bowl the audience over with noise, velocity and an insistent tone that frankly winds up being kind of irritating. It works so hard to win the viewer over that it paradoxically keeps it at a distance.— Soren Anderson, Seattle Times Zootopia 2 opens in theaters on November 26, 2025. Find Something Fresh! Discover What to Watch, Read Reviews, Leave Ratings and Build Watchlists. Download the Rotten Tomatoes App.

View Original Article