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During a recent preview event for Zootopia 2, held on November 26, Disney Animation provided a glimpse into the sequel. Attendees watched 30 minutes of footage and engaged in discussions with directors Jared Bush and Byron Howard, along with Chad Sellers, head of Animation, and story leads Carrie Liao and David VanTuyle. The event also featured a Q&A session with composer Michael Giacchino, moderated by Tom MacDougall, president of Walt Disney Music.

The sequel picks up immediately after the events of the Oscar-winning original, focusing on Judy Hopps (voiced by Ginnifer Goodwin) and Nick Wilde (voiced by Jason Bateman) as they navigate their new partnership at the Zootopia Police Department. Their contrasting personalities lead them to therapy following a chaotic chase involving Zootopia’s first reptile, Gary De’Snake (voiced by Ke Huy Quan), who is on a quest for a mysterious book that reveals why reptiles have been marginalized in the city.

The voice cast also includes Andy Samberg, David Strathairn, Macaulay Culkin, and Brenda Song as the Lynxleys, a prominent family in Zootopia. Additionally, Patrick Warburton voices Mayor Winddancer, a former actor, and Maurice LaMarche plays Mr. Big, a crime boss reminiscent of the Godfather.

One of the standout features of the footage was the introduction of Marsh Market, a new market area on the outskirts of Zootopia that offers shopping, dining, and entertainment. A thrilling chase through a water tube highlighted the sequel’s enhanced production design and animation quality. The film delves deeper into the relationship between Judy and Nick as they learn to appreciate their differences while solving a murder mystery.

Howard noted, “Clashing personalities, as an example with Jared and myself, it’s all day long. What I loved about what Jared did with the script is it’s really about relationships. People coming back to this world especially want to see what’s up with Nick and Judy.” The creative team spent considerable time deciding how much time should pass after the first film, ultimately choosing to set the sequel immediately after the original to explore their partnership.

Bush explained, “Judy’s been pushing forward her whole life. So what does this mean for her to have a partner? Nick was always on his own and now he has a partner as well. And so that was a fun dynamic to play with.” The character of Gary plays a crucial role in the story, representing hope and resilience, which contrasts with Judy and Nick’s experiences.

Bush also addressed the inclusion of reptiles in the sequel, stating, “I think a lot of people have this natural inclination to be icked out by reptiles. And people have an innate fear of snakes, so from the get-go, we wanted to have a snake character that flipped all those tropes.” Gary, a striking blue pit viper, marks a significant advancement in Disney’s animated snakes, joining the ranks of iconic characters like Kaa from The Jungle Book and Jafar’s snake form from Aladdin.

“Gary is such a fun character with a distinct personality,” Liao remarked, highlighting the innovative animation techniques used to bring him to life. The team developed three rigs to allow for his unique movements, ensuring he could bend and curl naturally while maintaining visual appeal.

Giacchino described his score for Zootopia 2 as possibly the most “insane” he has ever composed, encouraged by the directors to push creative boundaries. He noted that the music plays a vital role in enhancing character development and storytelling, with a diverse range of styles from banjo to heavy metal. “We’re all over the map here,” he said, reflecting the eclectic nature of the film’s score.

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