The eagerly anticipated Zootopia 2 has already set a new record even before entering its inaugural weekend. Released in 2025, this sequel to the 2016 Disney hit that amassed over $1 billion at the box office is poised to achieve similar success.
The film premiered on Wednesday, November 26, just in time for the American Thanksgiving holiday. It has quickly proven its potential by recording the second-highest preview earnings in the U.S. for a Disney animated film, only surpassed by 2024’s blockbuster Moana 2.
According to Variety, Zootopia 2 has garnered a remarkable $34 million on its opening day in China, setting a record for the largest single-day earnings for any U.S. animated film in the region. This debut is also the strongest for any U.S. film in China since F9: The Fast Saga in May 2021, and it ranks as the tenth highest U.S. film opening day in China overall.
This impressive start in China has elevated Zootopia 2‘s total international earnings to $41.6 million. The film’s financial success is expected to climb as it has launched in only 17 international markets so far, with plans to expand to most major markets by Sunday’s end, except Japan where it will premiere the following weekend.
To date, Zootopia 2 has accumulated $80.1 million globally, positioning it as the 44th top-grossing film of 2025 worldwide, even before its first weekend in theaters.
The triumph of Zootopia 2 follows closely on the heels of the record-breaking success of China’s Ne Zha II, which became the first film to exceed $1 billion in a single market and has since become the highest-grossing animated film ever with a staggering $1.902 billion worldwide, surpassing Inside Out 2‘s $1.699 billion.
Although Zootopia 2 has not matched Ne Zha II‘s monumental $296.6 million opening weekend in China, its strong performance indicates a growing interest in animated films within the region. Despite China’s increasingly selective approach to screening U.S. films, the success of Zootopia 2 may bode well for the future international prospects of American animated features.
Looking ahead, other anticipated animated films such as Toy Story 5, Ice Age: Boiling Point, Frozen III, and Shrek 5 are set to follow Zootopia 2 into theaters. Given the current trends, it’s conceivable that the records set by Zootopia 2 could soon be surpassed.
Ava Thornton is an entertainment journalist with a keen eye for the latest in Hollywood, indie films, and streaming trends.
Her work blends insider knowledge with a deep appreciation for storytelling.
