At Walt Disney Animation Studios in Burbank, celebration and craftsmanship went hand in hand.
In honor of the home release of Zootopia 2, Awards Focus correspondent Melissa Vaupel joined director Byron Howard and producer Yvett Merino for a press junket activation that highlighted not only the scale of the sequel, but the heart behind it. On February 25th, Disney’s Zootopia 2 became available on Digital platforms, including Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, and Fandango at Home. The Blu Ray release is slated for March 2nd.
The film has shattered records as the highest-grossing animated Motion Picture Association (MPA) release of all time, earning $1.8 billion worldwide and ranking as the ninth highest-grossing film ever. The sequel also marks the fifth Walt Disney Animation Studios title to surpass $1 billion globally, underscoring its historic box office run. That success is matched by overwhelming audience and critical acclaim, not to mention an Academy Award® nomination and a BAFTA win. The first film already brought home the Oscar for Best Animated Feature, and Zootopia 2 is a strong contender to also win the award this time around.
For Howard—whose previous credits include Tangled and Encanto—and for Merino, known for her work on Encanto and Moana 2, the sequel represents both a creative challenge and a reaffirmation of what audiences love about this franchise.
The activation itself was a full immersion into the world of Zootopia. In the morning guests joined a special Zootopia 2 dance lesson—learning choreography inspired by Gazelle’s fan-favorite Tiger dancers directly from the film’s animation reference choreographer, Kai Martinez. By noon, attendees stepped into a real-life version of Reptile Ravine and met live reptiles up close. Later, animation supervisor Adam Green led a hands-on drawing session, teaching fans how to sketch Gary De’Snake. The morning captured the spirit of the sequel: playful, immersive, and deeply rooted in artistry.
Correspondent Melissa Vaupel sat down with filmmakers for an exclusive interview.
Awards Focus: You are actually the highest grossing animated Hollywood film of all time, with 1.8 billion USD, and you’re nominated for an Oscar, and also just won the BAFTA. So how does it feel to have such an amazing hit, and then why was now the right time to return?
Byron Howard: Really good. It feels really, really good to experience all this. I know it’s been on a crazy ride with this movie. When we all jumped back into this world, we really wanted to deliver a film that was as good or better than the first one. The fact that there’s been so much love around the world for the film has been great. For us to see people go back to the theaters—because I think everyone in Hollywood is a little worried about that, getting people back into theaters—but to see people go in such dedicated numbers, not just once but many times, has been really terrific.
Yvett Merino: Yeah, I think what it means is that there’s hundreds of artists and production management people who work on this film, and that all of their hard work—they put everything into this film, into every single detail. So the fact that so many people are seeing the film means that so many people are seeing their work and celebrating their work. That’s what’s really great.
AF: I would love to expand a little bit on the character evolution. How would you say Judy and Nick have evolved in this film compared to the last one? What felt really important to explore in their relationship this time?
Byron Howard: Honestly, as we made this version of the movie, the movie kept reminding us that those two needed to be at the center. This needs to be Nick and Judy’s story. The best thing with a sequel is if you can remind people what they loved in the first film with those relationships, but then take it way further.
Nick and Judy in this film are realizing how different they are and having to not only figure out how to deal with that, but see the value in each other with those differences. That thematic actually played out through the whole film. I love them together. I love that there’s a debate out there—like, is it romantic? Is it just friends? It’s great. We pay attention to those conversations, and we love that the chemistry is really landing with audiences.
AF: Creating this incredibly diverse and rich universe of Zootopia—the first film already had such incredible world building. What was something new about the city this time around, or even the world, that you were most excited to bring to life
Yvett Merino: There are so many different new areas that we go into. Obviously, we introduce reptiles into the world, and building that reptile area that got kind of erased many, many years ago was so exciting. It’s really one of my favorite moments in the film—when they go back into the city and they turn the lights on, and it’s this beautiful town that was created by reptiles, by snakes.
You know, snakes really freaked me out. But in this film, I love them. So kind of creating that world and being able to see it—how it was created for them, with ramps instead of stairs and all the different design choices—was really great.
AF: In terms of themes and relevance, the original film resonated for tackling things such as prejudice and stereotyping. What themes did you feel were urgent and important to explore in this sequel?
Byron Howard: It’s interesting, because the way that happens in this movie could only happen in Zootopia. The fact that that reptile district was buried in snow and forgotten is very specific to our world. But the great thing about these being animals—this was true of the first movie and this one—is that no matter where you are in the world, you can look at these characters and what they’re going through and relate to your own life.
Human society is very complicated. We love that there’s an expectation from the audience that these films will hold a mirror up to problems that we as human beings are having and continue to have, but hopefully leave you with a hopeful note at the end. You can tell that regardless of what we have to go through, if we’re going through it together, it makes it easier.
AF: The movie requires so much talent and craftsmanship to put together. I read that there were around 700 people working on this project. From a technical perspective, are there any standout contributions that come to mind?
Yvett Merino: Byron. (laughing)
Byron Howard: I was fishing for that.
Yvett Merino: Yvett. (laughing) No, we are fortunate enough here at Disney Animation to work with amazing artists. Our studio here in Burbank and the one in Vancouver—we have some of the most talented animation artists in the world.
One of my favorite things about this role is that I get to be in a room where an idea is set out, and then someone will quickly sketch it. I get to watch that sketch turn into a model, that model turn into a scene, and that scene get lit and become this beautiful moment that didn’t exist before. Watching everybody elevate the material all along the way is one of my most favorite things about working here.
AF: What is your hope that people walk away with? How do you want audiences to feel, and what kind of message do you hope to convey
Byron Howard: These movies are tough, because the audience wants a little bit of everything. They want to laugh, they want to cry, and they want something to think about and talk about as they walk out.
So much of this movie is about differences, and it’s centered around Gary’s story. This restoration of a problem that existed in Zootopia for 100 years—where his family can now return—that reuniting of that family is such an important part of what this movie is about.
What Judy and Nick are trying to do in making the world a better place—it’s not an easy journey. It can be really rocky. But the fact that all of that effort is worth it really pays off when you see the effects of someone getting back together with their family, and the emotional impact that can have on the audience.
I think just a sense of hope. A sense of connection. A sense of emotion. And I love that as people grow up watching these movies, if you’re a kid you’re seeing one thing, and as an adult you’re seeing another. That’s a great privilege that we really appreciate here, making these films. We’ll always try our hardest. We’ll always try our very hardest.
In revisiting Judy and Nick, Howard and Merino have expanded the world of Zootopia while deepening its emotional core. The sequel builds on the foundation of the original—humor, empathy, and social reflection—while embracing larger scale storytelling and renewed urgency around connection and belonging.
Disney’s Zootopia 2 is now available on Digital platforms, including Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, and Fandango at Home. The im-paw-fect partners’ undercover escapades continue with the film’s arrival on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and DVD on March 3.