2025 has already seen many movies succeed on the field workplace. From animated blockbusters like Ne Zha 2 to the vampire western Sinners, theaters are displaying that they’re nonetheless simply as standard as they as soon as have been. With slightly below 5 months left, there are nonetheless tons of upcoming releases which can be destined to be big on the field workplace. From sci-fi spectacles like Avatar: Fireplace and Ash to fantasy musicals like Depraved: For Good, theaters need to be very busy within the coming months.
One of many greatest upcoming releases of 2025 appears to be Zootopia 2. Releasing on November 26, the movie appears to repeat the success of the primary movie, which went on to make a billion {dollars} on the field workplace and win the Oscar for Finest Animated Function. With a Thanksgiving launch date in addition to Disney‘s latest streak of field workplace successes, Zootopia 2 is just not solely on observe to be one other profitable Disney launch, however has the potential to be the studio’s highest-grossing animated film of all time.
Listed below are 8 explanation why Zootopia 2 may grow to be Disney’s highest-grossing animated movie.
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Disney Has Been Killing It on the Field Workplace Just lately
Disney properties have been performing effectively on the field workplace all through the previous couple of years. Whether or not or not it’s Marvel movies like Deadpool and Wolverine or Pixar sequels like Inside Out 2, Disney is getting folks out to the theater in contrast to many different studios. Whereas 2025 hasn’t been their strongest 12 months to this point, with all of their Marvel movies underperforming to a sure extent, all three of them are at the moment ranked within the prime 10 highest-grossing motion pictures of the 12 months domestically. Zootopia 2 will most likely make greater than each Marvel film this 12 months, because the Zootopia universe proved with its first movie that it’s far more standard than Marvel’s latest outings.
Even the ‘Zootopia’ TV Present Was Nicely-Regarded
In 2022, Disney+ dropped Zootopia+, a collection of brief movies primarily based on the Zootopia universe. Whereas the present is not as ground-breaking in its story in comparison with the film, it was nonetheless a extremely regarded present. It was so well-received that it received an Annie Award for Excellent Achievement for Voice Performing in an Animated Tv/Media Manufacturing, which is a company that awards animated motion pictures and reveals primarily based on completely different elements of animation. Exhibiting this quantity of affection to a collection of brief movies reveals that there’s a lot of goodwill in the direction of Zootopia, which makes it simple to imagine that Zootopia 2 might be simply as liked.
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Franchise Sequels Have Been Performing Exceptionally Nicely on the Field Workplace in Current Years
Whereas not each sequel has confirmed to be a mainstream success, lots of the greatest franchise movies have grow to be the highest-grossing motion pictures of their 12 months. Based on BoxOfficeMojo, each movie within the prime 10 highest-grossing motion pictures of 2024 is a sequel, apart from Depraved. This stat reveals that individuals are not bored with sequels, and that they’re really bringing extra folks into theaters in comparison with different properties. Whereas seeing so many sequels launched could also be tiring for some, the field workplace numbers present that almost all of moviegoers will not be bored with sequels.
Disney Is Going Full-Velocity Forward on Sequels.
Disney, in addition to Pixar, have introduced that they’ve shifted their focus extra to releasing sequels relatively than unique movies. With motion pictures like Want and Elio failing to make an affect on the field workplace, making unique content material is much from the studio’s thoughts. Making unique motion pictures could have been what made the studio so acclaimed, however the latest field workplace successes of flicks like Moana 2 and Inside Out 2 are the explanation why Disney has so many sequels in growth.
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‘Zootopia’ Was Certainly one of Disney’s Most Acclaimed Films in Years
Zootopia was an enormous phenomenon throughout its time of launch. Scoring a 98% on Rotten Tomatoes and an 8.0 on IMDb, the movie is definitely considered one of Disney’s highest-rated animated motion pictures. Based on Rotten Tomatoes, the movie stands as Disney’s second-highest-rated animated film of all time, rating above classics like Snow White and the Seven Dwarves and Aladdin. In addition to scoring a 92% approval score from audiences on Rotten Tomatoes, nearly everybody appears to get pleasure from Zootopia to some capability.
Successful the Finest Animated Function Oscar Was a Enormous Honor
Successful an Oscar in any sense is large, however Zootopia‘s Finest Animated Function win on the 2017 Academy Awards is especially notable because of the movies it went up towards. Zootopia received the award over Kubo and the Two Strings, Moana, The Purple Turtle, and My Life as a Zucchini, that are all extremely regarded movies. Moana and Kubo and the Two Strings have been so well-liked that they obtained nominations in classes outdoors animated characteristic, with Moana receiving a Finest Unique Tune nomination and Kubo and the Two Strings making historical past with its Finest Visible Results nomination. Zootopia successful the Oscar over movies that obtained nominations in different classes reveals simply how well-liked the film was, which makes the sequel all of the extra anticipated.
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A Thanksgiving Launch Date Will Give the Movie Stronger Legs on the Field Workplace
Films that launch throughout Thanksgiving time generally tend to have good weekend-to-weekend holds on the field workplace. Depraved and Moana 2 proved this in 2024, with each movies seeing a weekend enhance throughout the December 27-29 weekend. Each movies additionally scored greater than $10 million per weekend for over six straight weekends, which additional emphasizes the result of massive franchise movies releasing throughout the Thanksgiving and Christmas months.
Vacation Releases Are the Finest Strikes for Visibility
Not solely is Thanksgiving a good time to launch motion pictures, however releasing motion pictures round any vacation is a great strategy to increase visibility. Each the Avatar movies and Spider-Man: No Manner Dwelling present that releasing motion pictures round Christmastime can carry field workplace numbers that no different movie can replicate. Even holidays just like the 4th of July are proven to be a good time to launch a film, with Jurassic World Rebirth proving to be a stronger field workplace participant worldwide than Superman and The Incredible 4: First Steps. If you’re a giant franchise film in search of a launch date, it is exhausting to discover a higher time than the vacations.
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There Are No Different Animated Films in November
One of many greatest elements of predicting the field workplace success of Zootopia 2, in addition to another film, is competitors. Though Depraved: For Good goes to be a menace because it’s one other PG-rated film releasing across the similar time, arguably a much bigger hurdle could be if there have been one other huge animated film releasing across the similar time, which on this case, there may be not. The one different main animated film popping out after Zootopia 2 is The SpongeBob Film: Seek for Squarepants, leaving weeks for Zootopia 2 to rule the field workplace as the one animated movie supplied in large launch.
There Aren’t Any Large Animated Releases Till ‘Zootopia 2’
Not solely will Zootopia 2 not face many challenges from different animated motion pictures after its launch, however there may be nothing earlier than it both. Based on IMDb, there may be not one widely-released, studio animated film set for all of September and October. This drought of animated motion pictures will make households anticipating one thing to take their children to, and Zootopia 2 would be the good movie to satisfy the wants of households.
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Household Movies Proceed to Do Nicely on the Field Workplace
One facet of the field workplace that could be a huge draw for moviegoers is the household expertise. Households across the globe see the theatrical expertise as a shared occasion, which is why household motion pictures proceed to do effectively on the field workplace. At the moment, three of the highest 5 highest-grossing motion pictures of the 12 months are rated PG. Even Ne Zha 2 may doubtlessly be rated PG, however as of now stands as Not Rated. Regardless that animated motion pictures have not been killing it on the field workplace this 12 months to this point, Zootopia 2 is the family-centered film that may probably draw crowds of households to the theater come its November launch.
Theaters Ought to Proceed To Push for Household-Centered Experiences
With household motion pictures proving to usher in huge field workplace numbers, it’s good to see theaters capitalizing on it. On choose days and instances, AMC Theaters affords Sensory Pleasant screenings, that are screenings which can be centered extra on a family-friendly viewers. At these screenings, the sound is turned down and the lights are turned on to create a greater setting for households. In addition they permit folks to speak at these screenings, which makes it much less traumatic for households who in any other case must hold their little one seated and quiet. Seeing theaters promote different environments for households is without doubt one of the methods theaters can keep alive in a world dominated by streaming, and it is good to see movie show chains taking strides at being a spot for everybody.
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November’s Stacked Month of Releases May Push ‘Zootopia 2’ to New Heights
With huge motion pictures like Depraved: For Good and Now You See Me: Now You Do not releasing within the month of November, it looks as if there may very well be quite a lot of competitors for Zootopia 2 to beat, however the huge variety of huge releases may even have the other impact. Final November, Depraved, Gladiator II, and Moana 2 have been all launched inside weeks of one another, however all of them managed to grow to be a few of the highest-grossing motion pictures of the 12 months, with all three of them breaking into the highest 15 highest-grossing motion pictures of the 12 months worldwide in addition to domestically, in keeping with BoxOfficeMojo. This November appears to repeat the success, with Depraved: For Good and Zootopia 2 trying to have parallel openings to Depraved and Moana 2.
Stacked Film Months Are Proving To Be a Good Technique for Releasing
With the success of “Barbenheimer,” studios have been trying to capitalize on releasing huge movies across the similar time. This technique has labored in a few cases, with Gladiator II and Depraved making an insane amount of cash regardless of releasing on the identical day. This previous July is one other tender instance of this, with Jurassic World Rebirth, Superman, and The Incredible 4: First Steps all making over $200 million on the home field workplace regardless of popping out inside weeks of one another. In terms of discovering field workplace revenue, pitting two motion pictures towards one another will be the new strategy to carry consciousness to a movie and push it to new heights.
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Disney Has No Different Film To Market in November
One other one of many greatest methods to spice up visibility is advertising and marketing. Advertising a film will be crucial to a film’s success, with motion pictures like Barbie and Longlegs‘ viral advertising and marketing campaigns pushing them to success that nobody noticed coming. Disney has the chance to go all-in on Zootopia 2‘s advertising and marketing as they haven’t any different releases within the month of November, which suggests they’ll dedicate all their time to verify the movie is a hit. With its first trailer already setting the right tone for the film, Disney has the possibility to capitalize on Zootopia 2 being a hit.
‘Tron: Ares’ and “Avatar: Fireplace and Ash’ Will Not Get within the Manner of ‘Zootopia 2’
Zootopia 2 is sandwiched between the releases of Tron: Ares and Avatar: Fireplace and Ash, with the films popping out on October 10 and December 19. Though Disney will probably put quite a lot of advertising and marketing into these motion pictures, it is not going to get in the best way of the advertising and marketing for Zootopia 2. Avatar: Fireplace and Ash will particularly not get in the best way, because the movie will probably be a large hit even when there is not a lot advertising and marketing for it. Spacing out movies like Disney is doing has allowed them to give attention to every venture to one of the best of their capability, and it’s totally anticipated that Zootopia 2 can have plenty of advertising and marketing.
Zootopia 2
- Launch Date
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November 26, 2025
- Director
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Jared Bush, Byron Howard
- Writers
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Jared Bush