Zootopia 2 info:
Director: Jared Bush and Byron Howard
Writer: Jared Bush
Starring: Ginnifer Goodwin, Jason Bateman, Ke Huy Quan, and Fortune Feimster
Hello and welcome to another week here at 1guysmindlessmoviereviews.com. Well, this is officially my last review of the year. Next week, I will share my annual top ten list of the year to close out 2025. Also, by the time you read this, it will be almost Christmas, or slightly after, depending on when you read it. So, I want to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, or Season’s Greetings. Maybe even all three if you prefer.
Since Avatar is a very “hot” ticket right now, that will most likely be my first review of 2026. I’m actually glad, because I really wanted to see “Zootopia 2” anyway. My family and I are off work and school for a bit, so it was nice to hang out and have all four of us go to a movie for a change. But before I get too wild, let me get the spoiler warning out of the way for this. If you have yet to see this newest Disney film and don’t want to hear about all the easter eggs and fun it has in store for you, then stop now. You can go to my reviews page and see what else I have available for now, then come back here later to finish this one.
Ok, for everyone else, let’s discuss “Zootopia 2”. Even though nine years have passed for us, it’s been basically no time at all for the characters here. About one week after the events of the first Zootopia end, this one picks up. As is usually the case, the original is hard to beat. This is no different; however, it’s still very good and excels in many areas. It still has all the charm and humor of its predecessor, but it grows the lore and the Zootopia world.
Recap
Just a quick recap here. Basically, Judy Hopps (Goodwin) and Nick Wilde (Bateman) still aren’t taken seriously in the ZPD. Because of this, Judy always talks Nick into going rogue to uncover crime. This time, it goes awry as a Gary De’Snake (Quan) shows up, Chief Bogo (Idris Elba) gets bitten by accident, and then Nick and Judy are accused. Now on the run, they discover that the real villains are the Lynx family, led by Milton (David Strathairn). In the past, they expanded their world by covering up the reptile’s land, and now they are at it again by wanting to cover up the marshland. Judy, Nick, and Gary are able to uncover the truth and save Zootopia with the help of Nibbles Maplestick (Feimster).
Ok, I could go into more detail about the plot of the story, but I want to talk about all of the aspects that make this a great movie. The first is the cast of characters and the real-life people who play their parts. Besides all the ones I’ve mentioned so far, this movie also has a laundry list of stars. Andy Samberg as Pawbert, Shakira as Gazelle, Patrick Warburton as Mayor Winddancer, Quinta Brunson as Dr. Fuzzby, and Danny Trejo as Jesús. There are a few more minor characters, but that is quite an impressive list.
Beyond just the great voice acting that is going on behind the scenes, some of these onscreen characters are just phenomenal. I love have Nick Wilde back on my screen, but Nibbles is hilarious, Gary is a great addition to to the Zootopia franchise, but no character is better to watch than Jesús. Danny Trejo brought him to life in such an amazing way. Adding in reptiles and more marsh/water mammals was a great choice as it added another layer to the already complex system they had built.
The next thing I want to discuss is the number of hidden Easter eggs and other surprises that were included. Like Michael J. The Fox, The Shining reference, or Arial’s Grotto. I don’t want to give them all away here; finding them for yourself is half the fun. However, if you do want to know, there are sites out there that will list them for you. Like this one here. Just look around at the background, the names on the signs, and even listen for some voices.
The last thing I want to discuss is how well this story was written. At first I was upset at how Judy and Nick’s relationship was progressing. Judy was very overbearing and the one making all of the decisions for the team. Almost like she didn’t care about what he had to say. But, somehow, all of his indecisions and her over-the-top behavior came together very nicely by the third act. They both share their feelings and come together to become the team they knew they could be. I also love how the story is an alternative way to mirror real life and inclusion. The reptiles being accepted at the end was a wonderful finish…now it’s time to include the birds, right?
Watch or Wait?
Personally, seeing an animated movie in theaters doesn’t give you much extra flair, but at the same time, this will be the exception. I think this is good enough to go see on any sized screen.
So, overall, this was worth the wait, and I’m happy with the product that ended up on the screen. At first, I wasn’t happy that some great side characters didn’t have as big of a role on “Zootopia 2”. But, after thinking more about it, there’s no way they could and still have time to introduce the new characters. I loved this a lot, and I am so shocked that we got a tease for a part 3. This was a great way to end to year, and I am happy to give this a 9 out of 10!
