‘Zootopia 2’ Breaks Global Box Office Records Worldwide With $556M/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Disney’s “Zootopia 2” roared to a massive $556 million global debut, setting the record for the biggest international animated film opening. It earned $96.8 million domestically over the weekend and dominated China with $272 million. The sequel’s success helped lift a struggling box office year alongside strong returns from “Wicked: For Good.”
Zootopia 2 Box Office Breakout: Quick Looks
- “Zootopia 2” earns $556 million globally in debut weekend.
- Sets international record for biggest animated film opening ever.
- Tops North American box office with $96.8 million.
- Achieves fourth biggest global debut of any genre in 2025.
- China leads international markets with $272 million in ticket sales.
- Film features returning characters Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde.
- “Wicked: For Good” earns $62.8M in second weekend, total $270.4M.
- Thanksgiving weekend box office hits $290 million total.
- “Hamnet” opens strong in limited release, eyes awards season.
- Sequel nearly a decade after 2016’s original “Zootopia.”
‘Zootopia 2’ Breaks Global Box Office Records Worldwide With $556M
Deep Look
Disney’s “Zootopia 2” has stormed the global box office with a record-setting debut, opening to $556 million worldwide, including $96.8 million in North America alone. The long-awaited animated sequel has now become the biggest international opening for an animated film in history, Disney’s strongest international animated release ever, and the fourth-largest global debut of any film released in 2025.
The film’s release marks a massive success for Disney, arriving nearly a decade after the 2016 original, which became a global hit with its fresh take on an animal-populated metropolis. “Zootopia 2” reunites audiences with bunny police officer Judy Hopps (voiced by Ginnifer Goodwin) and sly fox Nick Wilde (voiced by Jason Bateman), who once again navigate the complexities of their wild city in a story full of humor, action, and cultural relevance.
According to Disney and Comscore estimates, China was the film’s top market, contributing an extraordinary $272 million in ticket sales, accounting for nearly half of its global earnings. This opening marks the largest ever for an American-made animated film in China and the second-highest nonlocal film debut in the country’s box office history, trailing only Marvel’s “Avengers: Endgame.”
This kind of success in China has been increasingly rare in recent years for Hollywood productions due to tighter restrictions and a shift in favor of domestic films. However, the original “Zootopia” — known as “Crazy Animal City” in China — developed a strong following, bolstered by cultural connections and the presence of a Zootopia-themed land in Shanghai Disneyland. The sequel’s warm reception may signal a renewed openness for U.S. animated blockbusters in the Chinese market.
In North America, “Zootopia 2” delivered the sixth-largest domestic opening of 2025, earning $156 million over the five-day Thanksgiving holiday period. The film’s performance helped turn the holiday weekend into a rare high point in what has been a generally sluggish year for the global box office. The total U.S. box office haul for Thanksgiving weekend reached $290 million, with $188 million coming from the traditional Friday-to-Sunday window.
The success was shared with “Wicked: For Good”, Universal Pictures’ continuation of the Oz-inspired saga. The film held strong in its second weekend, grossing $62.8 million domestically, bringing its North American total to $270.4 million and $393 million globally. Despite direct competition from Disney’s animated juggernaut, “Wicked: For Good” maintained its audience and continued to thrive.
Industry experts are hopeful that the momentum from both sequels signals a turning point in a year that has been difficult for theater owners and studios alike. With major releases like “Avatar: Fire and Ash” and “Five Nights at Freddy’s 2” still ahead, analysts believe the final weeks of 2025 could deliver a much-needed boost.
“This is a great result and a big momentum builder for the box office as we head into the final four weeks of the year,” said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst at Comscore.
Meanwhile, independent cinema had a win as well. “Hamnet”, directed by Chloe Zhao and starring Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal, made a strong limited release debut. The Shakespeare-inspired film earned $1.35 million from Wednesday through Sunday across just 119 theaters, with a notable per-theater average over $11,000, suggesting robust interest as it heads into wider release next weekend.
Top 10 Films at Domestic Box Office (Weekend Estimates)
- Zootopia 2 – $96.8 million
- Wicked: For Good – $62.8 million
- Now You See Me: Now You Don’t – $7 million
- Predator: Badlands – $4.8 million
- The Running Man – $3.7 million
- Eternity – $3.2 million
- Rental Family – $2.1 million
- Hamnet – $880,000
- Sisu: Road to Revenge – $810,000
- Nuremberg – $749,325
You must Register or Login to post a comment.