'Zootopia 2' begins record-breaking run at Chinese box office

Disney's highly anticipated animated sequel "Zootopia 2" has taken the Chinese box office by storm. It has already set multiple opening records since its Wednesday debut, showing potential for further breakthroughs in the coming days.

Actor Kris Phillips, director Jared Bush and filmmaker Da Peng pose with the audience at a premiere event in Beijing, Nov. 20, 2025. [Photo courtesy of The Walt Disney Company]

The film, known in China as "Crazy Animal City 2," is living up to its name with a truly "crazy" box office performance. It raked in a staggering 240 million yuan ($34 million) on its opening day in China, achieving the highest single-day gross ever for an imported animated film in the Chinese market. According to Maoyan, a leading Chinese ticketing platform, it became only the fourth animated feature to surpass the 200-million-yuan milestone in a single day, following domestic blockbusters "Ne Zha 2," "Legend of Deification," and "Boonie Bears: Time Twist."

The sequel also demonstrated exceptional pre-sale performance, grossing 333 million yuan in advance ticket sales for screenings scheduled the weekend before its Tuesday midnight previews. This set a new all-time presale record for any animated feature in China, surpassing the previous benchmark of 309 million yuan set by "Ne Zha 2" during the peak Spring Festival holiday season.

Notably, "Zootopia 2" opened on a Wednesday, a regular workday, unlike most record-breaking films that typically debut on weekends or during national holidays. Industry experts predict another surge this weekend as families and children join the initial wave of fans who flocked to theaters during the weekdays.

Maoyan currently forecasts the film could gross over 2.4 billion yuan in China, while rival tracker Alibaba's Lighthouse projects 2.6 billion yuan. Either outcome would make it the highest-grossing imported animated film in Chinese history, surpassing the record set by the original "Zootopia" (2016), which remains the current top-grossing foreign animated film with 1.53 billion yuan.

The sequel has earned both critical acclaim and strong audience reception, scoring impressive ratings of 9.7/10 on both Maoyan and Taopiaopiao platforms, along with 8.7/10 on Douban, China's leading review-aggregation site. On Rotten Tomatoes, it achieved Certified Fresh status with 93% approval from critics and 96% from audiences. Such endorsements support the expectations for its continued box office momentum.

Directed by Jared Bush and Byron Howard, the film reunites the beloved duo of rabbit police officer Judy Hopps and her fox partner Nick Wilde, who is now a newly minted officer. They tackle their most perilous case yet, involving a mysterious snake. Their dynamic partnership continues to resonate strongly with Chinese viewers.

"What continues to move and humble us most is this deep and heartfelt response from audiences here," Bush said during a premiere event at Shanghai Disney Resort's Zootopia-themed land on Nov. 18. "The way you've embraced Judy and Nick, my favorites, and the spirit of 'Zootopia' inspires us every single day, and it is a privilege to share a new chapter in their story."

Bush went on to say, "you're going to see their partnership tested, their courage renewed, and the city itself evolving into something even more vibrant and alive." he added.

The phenomenal success extends far beyond the box office. Following the triumph of the original animation, Disney opened a Zootopia-themed land at Shanghai Disney Resort in 2023, which continues to captivate fans and visitors ever since while recently offering numerous special promotions and experiences, which are tied to the new film. 

Disney's organized marketing campaigns with various partners, including immersive exhibitions and four specially produced animated promotional shorts from Shanghai Animation Film Studio, has only further increased the anticipation for "Zootopia 2" across China.

By the end of 2025, Disney revealed it will launch over 2,000 licensed "Zootopia"-themed product variants across the Chinese mainland. During his promotional tour in Beijing on Nov. 20, director Bush himself was seen purchasing large bags of "Zootopia 2" merchandise during a visit to a Miniso store.

A China Eastern Airlines plane renovated with "Zootopia 2" theme seen in this photo taken in Shanghai on Nov. 19, 2025, showcasing just one of the film's impressive marketing campaigns. [Photo courtesy of The Walt Disney Company]

Lai Li, an analyst with Maoyan, believes "Zootopia 2" will deliver an outstanding start to China's year-end and New Year's film season. Disney will soon introduce another blockbuster to Chinese audiences on Dec. 19, "Avatar: Fire and Ash," which is expected to further boost the national box office total. 

So far, China's total box office revenue for 2025 has already surpassed 46.6 billion yuan. With these major releases and renewed audience enthusiasm, the industry's goal of reaching the 50-billion-yuan milestone by year's end appears increasingly achievable.

The performance of "Zootopia 2" and the upcoming "Avatar: Fire and Ash" represents more than just box office hits. According to a Deadline.com analysis, their performance in China will be closely monitored by the U.S. film industry and help determine whether China remains a promising market for Hollywood.