"Zootopia 2" shatters records with blockbuster Thanksgiving weekend debut
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Nick Wilde voiced by Jason Bateman, and Judy Hopps, voiced by Ginnifer Goodwin, in "Zootopia 2." Image: Disney via AP
Disney's "Zootopia 2" brought in roughly half a billion dollars over the weekend, marking the highest global animated box office opening of all time, and the biggest global debut of the year.
Why it matters: The film's stellar performance marks a significant win for Disney, which has seen mixed results for animated films at the box office this year.
- While Disney scored big with the live action remake of "Lilo & Stitch," Pixar's sole 2025 theatrical release "Elio" tanked at the box office.
By the numbers: "Zootopia 2" brought in $96.8 million over the weekend domestically and $400.4 million internationally, for a $497.2 million global total, per Comscore estimates.
- Across the five-day Thanksgiving holiday weekend, it earned $156 million domestically and $556.4 million globally.
Zoom out: Already, the movie has smashed several records, including becoming the fourth highest global opening of all time, and the highest global opening for any animated film in Disney history.
Between the lines: The film, which follows the investigative journey of animal detectives, is on track to become an even bigger commercial success than the original "Zootopia" film, which debuted in 2016.
- The original earned just $75 million in its domestic box office debut nearly a decade ago. To date, it has earned over $1 billion at the global box office and $341 million domestically.
- Movie experts expected the sequel to smash records, given the critical success of the original film, which won Best Animated Feature at the 2017 Oscars and Best Animated Feature Film at the 2017 Golden Globes.
The big picture: Huge openings for "Zootopia 2" and "Wicked: For Good" have helped the domestic box office recover from what has otherwise been a slow year for big hits.
- Yes, but: While the domestic box office is pacing slightly ahead of 2024's totals at the same time last year, it still lags 2023 by 6.3%, and it's nowhere near the pre-pandemic records of 2018 and 2019.
What's next: A few year-end releases are expected to do well this holiday season, including Disney's "Avatar: Fire and Ash" and Lionsgate's "The Housemaid" which both debut on Dec. 19.
