'Zootopia 2' holds up mirror to human nature, say creators

Walking around inside the one and only Zootopia-themed land at Shanghai Disneyland, Jared Bush's eyes sparkled. He was smiling through tears, immersed in a world that had once only existed in his imagination.

A still from "Zootopia 2." [Photo courtesy of Walt Disney Animation Studios]

"It's such crazy wish fulfillment," the "Zootopia" director told China.org.cn. "When I was a little kid, I went to Disney World every summer. To work on something that then becomes something in the park, you can go and interact with... It's mind-blowing to me."

Bush, also chief creative officer of Walt Disney Animation Studios, attended the land's grand opening two years ago, a project built on the stunning success of the original film. Bush found new inspiration for the sequel, "Zootopia 2," while working closely with Disney Imagineers on the themed land.

"About 70% of what you see in that land is directly from the film. The other 30% are ideas that they just came up with," Bush elaborated. "A big example is this barber shop for sheep where you shear sheep, and it's attached to a wool sweater shop. I thought it was so clever. We put that into the movie."

Other park details, such as a giraffe running on a treadmill, were incorporated into "Zootopia 2." In the sequel, Nick Wilde's apartment is situated beneath an elephant gym, where the same giraffe is visible.

Bush said the magic of the sequel and the land grew side by side, with elements from the park inspiring the filmmakers in return. "It's like a dream come true," he said.

Director Jared Bush and producer Yvett Merino participate in an interview in Shanghai, Nov. 19, 2025. [Photo courtesy of Walt Disney Animation Studios]

"Zootopia 2" reunites Bush with co-director Byron Howard and producer Yvett Merino, the trio behind the Oscar-winning "Encanto."

While fans waited nearly a decade for the sequel, time works differently for animators. Bush remained occupied with "Encanto" and the series "Zootopia+," so the years passed quickly, yet he never stopped writing about Nick and Judy. As production wrapped on "Encanto," he sketched "Zootopia 2" on a notepad, shaping the number "2" like a snake.

That sketch inspired the sequel's major new character: Gary De'Snake, the first snake to enter Zootopia in a century. He quickly became Merino's favorite. "He is so optimistic," Merino said. "I wish we could all be more like Gary."

Bush noted that the character was a deliberate nod to the film's 2025 release, as it coincided with the Year of the Snake in the Chinese zodiac. "Three years ago, we knew this was going to be the Year of the Snake," he said. "This movie had to come out this year; that was very important to me."