Sequels, Snakes, and Shanghai: Expanding the World of Zootopia with "Zootopia 2"

Nearly a decade after audiences first fell in love with Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde, Disney Animation is heading back to the bustling metropolis of Zootopia. This time, the rabbit and fox face their toughest case yet when pit viper Gary De’Snake (voiced by Academy Award winner Ke Huy Quan) slithers into the city, unraveling a decades-old mystery tied to one of Zootopia’s founding families. From glamorous galas to treacherous water chases, Zootopia 2 expands the world, deepens its characters, and embraces Disney’s legacy of animal storytelling.

Laughing Place had the chance to sit down with members of the creative team — including Head of Animation Chad Sellers, Producer Yvett Merino, Directors Jared Bush and Byron Howard, and Heads of Story Carrie Liao and David VanTuyle — to learn how this sequel carries Disney’s legacy forward while striking out into fresh terrain.

The sequel picks up directly after the events of the first film, with Judy and Nick navigating life as new partners on the police force. When an undercover mission goes awry, Chief Bogo sends them to “partners’ therapy" with Dr. Fuzzby (a quokka voiced by Quinta Brunson) to work out their differences. Their journey of teamwork becomes the emotional backbone of the film.

“Even as big as that first movie was, it was really about that pair of characters," said director Jared Bush. “Going into the second one, we had to remind ourselves that that’s what people want to see again. The chemistry between them and the contrast and the humor and the emotion really comes from just two vastly different characters."

Co-director Byron Howard added, “If the first movie was about becoming friends for the first time, this movie is about learning things about each other that are brand new. Nick is not a guy who easily gets in touch with his emotions, and he has to dig down deep to say things to Judy that he would never say to anyone else."

Head of Story Carrie Liao explained, “This is a mystery film, but at the core of it is their relationship. We focused on testing their partnership, seeing ways in which their relationship can evolve over the course of solving this mystery."

And for Head of Animation Chad Sellers, the goal was to capture that growth on screen: “We continue to always push on the performance, the acting. Taking Nick and Judy to their next step after the first movie was something I’m really proud of."

But in addition to characters like Nick and Judy that we already know, we also meet some new characters, such as Gary De’Snake. Snakes have long been part of Disney’s animated heritage—think Kaa from The Jungle Book and Sir Hiss from Robin Hood. But Gary marks a first: a reptile as a central Disney Animation protagonist.

“We built this amazing Gary rig that allowed us to get the gestures and emotions we needed," Sellers told us. “We wanted to take the 2D stuff we learned from the old films and be able to gesture and emote with him." While Gary is being done in CG, Disney’s 2D animation team, including legendary Disney animator Eric Goldberg, shared their expertise in how to bring movement to snakes. “Our 2D artists studied the masters, the Nine Old Men, all of the great films we’ve done," Sellers said about their contribution, “They bring that sense of appeal, drawing over the top of our 3D scenes to really push on what Disney animation is."

Despite not having arms or legs, Gary was one of the most technically complex characters Disney has ever created. His design features thousands of individually articulated scales—448 on his head, 160 on his belly, and 2,392 on his back. He even has two tongues. One is a human-like tongue for when he talks, and a forked tongue for when he needs to hiss.

Animating Gary wasn’t the only challenge when it came to a character who needed to seem ominous enough to be confused for a villain, while disarming enough to earn the trust of Nick and Judy, plus Zootopia 2’s audience. The solution came in the casting of Ke Huy Quan, Howard explained. “When you see a 12-foot-long pit viper with huge fangs, you don’t expect Ke Huy Quan’s voice to come out of it. Ke brought such vulnerability, heart, and sincerity to the character that he quickly became the emotional center of the movie."

From the beginning, Bush and Howard saw the first Zootopia as just a glimpse of a much bigger world. “Being able to expand in the sequel was something we were always very excited about," Bush said. “Why didn’t we see reptiles in the first film? They couldn’t just conveniently show up. There had to be a thematic story point, and that’s what we spent the last few years really trying to figure out".

That expansion includes new biomes like Marsh Market, a watery district for semi-aquatic animals where Judy and Nick chase Gary through an elaborate network of water tubes. They act as a subway system for semi-aquatic mammals, but also provide rollercoaster-type action.

Co-head of Story David VanTuyle said, “We knew this world and these characters, but we wanted to show something new that excites audiences. New biomes, new species—that was the fun of this sequel."

While there is a lot new in Zootopia 2, everyone we spoke to discussed Walt Disney Animation Studios’ legacy. For producer Yvett Merino, who worked on the amazing Once Upon a Studio, Zootopia 2 is part of a continuum of Disney storytelling. “Coming into Zootopia 2 and continuing the story, we all feel a responsibility for the worlds that we’re building and the fun characters we’re creating."

That legacy also extends to the story team, whose whole process originated with Disney Animation. “Disney pioneered storyboards," said Liao. “It feels incredible to contribute to films that kids will watch today and hopefully continue that storytelling tradition."

While the filmmakers were building the sequel, they also collaborated with Imagineering on Zootopia attractions at Shanghai Disneyland and Disney’s Animal Kingdom at Walt Disney World Resort.

“It’s so rare for an attraction from Imagineering to line up with the release of the film," Howard said. “But because Jared had been working on the script for many years, and because of our collaboration on the Shanghai attraction, the timing really worked out. You’ll see characters from Zootopia 2 in the new attraction, and you’ll see locations in the film inspired by the Shanghai park."

Bush added, “When you get to hang out with Imagineers, they have a very similar process to ours. You feed off the same things. It’s been really fun to see someone else’s creativity in this same sandbox."

Like its predecessor, Zootopia 2 amplifies a universal message. “They’re very hopeful films," Howard said. “You see it with Nick and Judy. You see it with Gary. Hopefully, people walk away feeling joy."

Bush added, “People go to the theater because they want to feel something. They want to be entertained, to feel joy, and to be transported to places they haven’t seen before with characters they absolutely love."

Merino agreed: “First and foremost, I want audiences to go and have a good time. We had a great time making it, and we hope that comes across on the screen."

For the story team, the joy comes from seeing the work of hundreds of artists come together. “It’s like seeing it for the first time again," said Liao. “We remember drawing those little ideas, and then when we see it pass through animation and lighting, it’s incredible how everyone elevates it."

With Judy and Nick navigating their partnership, Gary the snake charming his way into the spotlight, and an expanded metropolis full of new mysteries, Zootopia 2 promises to honor Disney’s heritage while charting bold new territory.

As Sellers put it, “There’s such a love for Zootopia and the characters in the world. Just to bring them back to the big screen and have the audience react already to what they’ve seen — it makes me excited that we’ve added another great film to the Disney catalog."