Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde are back, and they’re beginning their next great adventure in the most unlikely location: partners’ therapy.
In the brand-new trailer for Zootopia 2, which Walt Disney Animation Studios just released on July 30, the fans first see the bunny-fox duo making their way through therapy sessions, issues with trust, and a rather slithy new menace to the city of Zootopia. That’s right, Jason Bateman and Ginnifer Goodwin reprise their roles as their favorite characters, now full-time police partners and attempting to make their relationship work.
But this time, they’re not merely dealing with small-time thieves or predators gone rogue, they’re after Gary De’Snake, an enigmatic snake spoken by Ke Huy Quan. The snake’s unexpected emergence in the otherwise mammal-dominated Zootopia triggers a chain of bizarre occurrences, compelling Judy and Nick to plunge into the city’s unexplored crevices in pursuit of clues. “Snakes don’t appear in Zootopia a lot,” Nick states in the trailer, highlighting just how out of the ordinary and perilous Gary’s appearance is.
Between partners’ therapy sessions conducted by quokka Dr. Fuzzby, comedically voiced by Quinta Brunson, to action-packed car chases and new animal characters, the Zootopia 2 trailer guarantees a ride that’s wild. As the synopsis describes it, Judy and Nick “find themselves on the twisting trail of a mysterious reptile who arrives in Zootopia and turns the mammal metropolis upside down.” In order to crack the case, they’re compelled to go undercover and investigate peculiar, unknown corners of the city. And their relationship is put to the test like never before.
The directing duo of Jared Bush and Byron Howard, who directed the original, returns for the sequel, and Bush had already teased that this new journey is even bigger than the first. “Whether it’s the marshes of semi-aquatic mammals, the massive desert dunes or even bigger mysteries beyond,” he stated, “our heroes Judy and Nick will make lots of new friends, and learn even more about the world, themselves, and a brand-new snake in town.”
And indeed, Shakira is back as the pop star gazelle, still glamorous, still singing bangers. She’s joined by an A-list voice cast featuring Fortune Feimster as beaver Nibbles Maplestick and Idris Elba again as Chief Bogo. With that combination of fresh spark and nostalgic nods, Zootopia 2 promises to recapture the same magic that made the first one so popular.
The 2016 original Zootopia won people over with its snappy humor, intelligent social commentary, and unbreakable chemistry between its leads. This sequel seems to double down on all that, throwing even more heart and high-stakes intrigue into the equation. From therapy session trash talk to tracking a sinister snake through Zootopia’s underworld, Judy and Nick are in for one wild ride.
Mark your calendars, Zootopia 2 hits theaters on November 26, and based on this trailer, it’s shaping up to be one of Disney’s biggest family hits of the year. Therapy, crime, and a snake named Gary? We’re in.
Jamie Wells has a knack for getting the inside scoop on Hollywood’s biggest stars and up-and-coming talent. With a sharp eye for industry trends and an ear for viral moments, Jamie covers everything from red-carpet events to behind-the-scenes drama in movies, TV, and celebrity culture.
