Zootopia fans have a reason to celebrate. Disney has officially confirmed that Zootopia 3 is in development, bringing the beloved animated franchise back for another adventure. The announcement was made at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event in Anaheim, California, where Walt Disney Animation Studios Chief Creative Officer Jared Bush confirmed that work on the third instalment is underway.
The news comes at an interesting time for the franchise. Zootopia 2 has turned into a massive box-office success, giving Disney plenty of reason to continue the story of the unlikely police partners Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde. However, while the third film is officially happening, there is still plenty that remains under wraps.
Zootopia 3 Announced At D23
The announcement came during Disney’s presentation at D23, with Jared Bush confirming that Zootopia 3 is officially in development. The studio has not announced a release date for the third movie yet. Fans therefore know that another trip to the animal metropolis is coming, but they will have to wait for more details about when it will reach theatres.
The wait between the first two films was particularly long. Zootopia was released in 2016, while Zootopia 2 arrived almost nine-and-a-half years later.
Will Judy Hopps And Nick Wilde Return In Zootopia 3?
Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde are at the heart of the Zootopia franchise, so another adventure involving the duo would be difficult to imagine without them. Ginnifer Goodwin has returned as Judy in the sequel, while Jason Bateman has voiced Nick in the franchise. However, there is currently no official confirmation regarding Bateman’s return for Zootopia 3.
The sequel also expanded the world with new characters, including Gary De’Snake, voiced by Ke Huy Quan.
What Could Zootopia 3 Be About?
Disney has not revealed the storyline of Zootopia 3 yet. The announcement does, however, give fans plenty of room to speculate about where the story could go next. The Zootopia franchise has traditionally used Judy and Nick’s investigations to explore different parts of the city’s animal population while mixing mystery, humour and social themes.
For now, though, there is no confirmed plot for Zootopia 3, so any specific story details should be treated as speculation.
Why Is Disney Moving Ahead With Zootopia 3 So Quickly?
The biggest reason is obvious: the phenomenal success of Zootopia 2. The original 2016 film was already a major hit, earning more than $1 billion worldwide. The sequel, however, managed to take the franchise to another level.
Zootopia 2 reportedly crossed the $1.7 billion mark worldwide, surpassing Pixar’s Inside Out 2 and becoming Hollywood’s highest-grossing animated film. However, it is worth making one distinction when discussing animated box-office records. China’s Ne Zha 2 remains the highest-grossing animated film overall, with a worldwide total of around $2.25 billion.
When Could Zootopia 3 Release?
There is no official release date for Zootopia 3 at the moment. The fact that Disney has already confirmed development suggests that the studio is moving forward with the project, but production details, voice cast announcements and a theatrical date are still awaited.
