Dwayne Johnson has had a long relationship with Disney, starring in several of their most popular franchises, including Moana. However, he is adding another major IP to his filmography, joining the star-studded cast of what is projected to be one of the highest-grossing films of the year. The casting announcement was made alongside the start of ticket sales, which include IMAX and 4DX screens.
It has been announced that Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has been cast in Zootopia 2, which hits theaters on November 26, 2025. According to the official description, Johnson is playing Zeke, “an accident-prone dik-dik who meets with a musical mishap as a result of Judy and Nick’s high-speed pursuit gone awry.” Johnson was among several key additions to the cast, which also includes fellow Moana star Auliʻi Cravalho as Anti-Venom Pen, Rachel House as Gramma Taller, David Fane as Truffler, Josh Gad as Paul Moledebrandt, Anika Noni Rose as Squeal of Fortune Mouse, John Leguizamo as Antony, and Stephanie Beatriz & Wilmer Valderrama as Bloats and Higgins, respectively.
The rest of the Zootopia 2 cast features Ginnifer Goodwin, Jason Bateman, Ke Huy Quan, Fortune Feimster, Idris Elba, Bonnie Hunt, Don Lake, Nate Torrence, Jenny Slate, Alan Tudyk, Maurice LaMarche, Leah Latham, Josh Dallas, Tommy Chong, Mark Rhino Smith, and Raymond Persi. Jared Bush and Byron Howard directed the film based on a screenplay written by Bush. The long-awaited sequel follows Judy Hopps (Goodwin) and Nick Wilde (Bateman) investigating a new conspiracy that could turn Zootopia on its head once again. Read the official synopsis:
In Walt Disney Animation Studios’ “Zootopia 2,” detectives Judy Hopps (voiced by Ginnifer Goodwin) and Nick Wilde (voiced by Jason Bateman) find themselves on the twisting trail of a mysterious reptile who arrives in Zootopia and turns the mammal metropolis upside down. To crack the case, Judy and Nick must go undercover to unexpected new parts of town, where their growing partnership is tested like never before.
‘Zootopia 2’ Already Eyeing Smash-Hit Opening Weekend
It’s been nearly a decade since the original Zootopia took the world by storm and won the top animation prize at the Academy Awards, but that wait has only fueled box office projections. As of last week, Box Office Pro forecast one of the highest-grossing opening weekends of the year for Zootopia 2. The film is looking to make $95 to $110 million during the three-day opening weekend at the domestic box office. However, the animated sequel releases during the Thanksgiving holiday, allowing for a five-day weekend gross that could reach between $140 and $160 million.
Those numbers are short of Moana 2, which broke records last year, grossing nearly $140 million over three days, and $225 million counting the five-day weekend. Still, Disney is clearly looking to dominate the month of November again, even with the highly anticipated musical sequel Wicked: For Good releasing a week before Zootopia 2. If the projections ring true, the animated sequel would instantly jump into the top 10 biggest opening weekends at the domestic box office for 2025. No matter the case, audiences will learn if Zootopia 2 was worth the wait when it hits theaters on November 26.
- Release Date
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November 26, 2025
- Director
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Byron Howard, Jared Bush
- Writers
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Jared Bush
- Producers
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Jennifer Lee