Chongqing - Disney's Zootopia 2 premieres worldwide on November 26, launching in China with record-breaking presales, signaling a strong comeback for the studio after a challenging year at the box office.

Photo: Zootopia 2.

The animated sequel has generated 16 million USD in first-day presales in China, the highest ever for an imported animated film. By 5:00 PM on November 25, its midnight screenings had earned 1.17 million USD, with total advance sales surpassing 39.5 million USD.

Photo: Zootopia 2.

Directed by Byron Howard and Jared Bush, the film continues the story of the mammal metropolis Zootopia. The plot introduces Gary, a blue venomous snake - the city's first reptile in a century - whose arrival triggers chaos. Officers Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde go undercover in remote parts of the city to apprehend him, but uncover a deeper conspiracy. After helping Gary escape, they join him as fugitives.

Photo: Zootopia 2.

"The world would be a better place if we embraced our differences," said Ke Huy Quan, the Oscar-winning actor who voices Gary. "I hope audiences empathize with his experience facing prejudice as a feared snake."

Photo: Zootopia 2.

The 2016 original, praised for tackling themes like societal bias, was a critical and commercial success in China. It earned 217 million USD locally and holds a 9.3/10 rating on Douban (Chinese version of Rotten Tomatoes). The franchise's popularity was further cemented by the December 2023 opening of a Zootopia-themed land at Shanghai Disney Resort.

A Zootopia-themed land at Shanghai Disney Resort. (Photo/Deng Nan)

Director Byron Howard called the sequel Disney's most ambitious animated project to date, featuring 67 animal species, 178 characters, and one scene with 50,000 animated animals.

Photo: Zootopia 2.

Zootopia 2 launches simultaneously in China and North America amid a strategic marketing campaign that has kept preview screenings extremely limited. No major review aggregator had published scores as of release day.

Photo: Zootopia 2.

The film arrives as Disney works to rebound from several 2025 box office disappointments. While Lilo & Stitch earned $1.04 billion globally after its theatrical release, other titles — including Captain America: Brave New World and the live-action Snow White — underperformed significantly in China.

So far, the top-grossing U.S. import in China this year has been Universal’s Jurassic World: Rebirth, which has earned $80 million. Industry observers expect Zootopia 2 to surpass that total with ease, with its final box office performance to be determined in the coming weeks.