Disney Teases Feathered Friends and More Nick and Judy Tension in ‘Zootopia 3’
Walt Disney Animation dominated the box office last Thanksgiving with the release of Zootopia 2.
Fueled by unprecedented success in China, the return of Nick Wilde and Judy Hopps delivered a historic box office haul of $1.867 billion.
Photo: Disney
By the time the dust settled, Zootopia 2 was the highest-grossing animated film ever released by a Hollywood studio and one of the most successful movies of all time.
‘Zootopia 3’ Was Announced Last Month
Just months after Zootopia 2’s historic release, Jared Bush, Chief Creative Officer at Walt Disney Animation, took the stage at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event and announced that a third installment in the Zootopia franchise was in early development.
‘Zootopia 3’
Bush was joined by Ginnifer Goodwin and Ke Huy Quan for the big reveal.
“I was looking at the faces of my children who were in the front row, seeing everything through their eyes, and their excitement is next level,” Goodwin, who voices Judy Hopps, shared. “In general, the announcement definitely made me emotional. I was like, ‘Please don’t cry onstage, Ginny!’ I just can’t believe my luck that we get to keep telling this story.”
Not only will the upcoming film see Nick, Judy, and Gary DeSnake return, but it will also introduce birds to Zootopia.
Photo: Disney
“The idea of bringing birds into this world is something that we’ve been excited about for years,” Bush explained.
“Obviously, at the end of Zootopia 2, you see this little teaser of a feather coming in. What that means for Nick and Judy, what that means for the world of Zootopia, that’s going to be the fun surprise of this movie. For this one, we want all of our really fun characters to come back, but we’re going to really be pushing on this one to bring people some new things.”
Here Come the Birds
As development on Zootopia 3 continues, the film’s cast and crew have sat down to discuss their plans for the movie.
For Goodwin and Quan, the idea of birds joining the Zootopia family is particularly interesting.
“I did know, as I believe the audience knew, that the next one would end up being about birds. I have been texting them random thoughts,” Goodwin said. “There are things I’m discovering about myself and my own relationship with birds that maybe we could use.”
Obviously, there may be some tension between Gary and his new feathered friends.
Nevertheless, Quan believes things will work out peacefully.
Photo: Disney
“Gary is such a nice guy. The birds might be afraid of him because he’s a pit viper, but I like to think that because of how cool he is that they’ll eventually see who he actually is and be good friends with him. We’ll see what happens!”
The Relationship Between Nick and Judy
Outside of the introduction of birds, fans will surely flock to Zootopia 3 to see how the relationship between Nick and Judy continues to develop.
Photo: Disney
According to director Byron Howard, the franchise will continue to lean into that dynamic.
“With the sequels, we want to look back at what was created, what people fell in love with, so that we can deliver something even better, expand the world, and take the characters to new levels,” he said.
Photo: Disney
“If you look at Nick and Judy, there are people who want them together as a couple, and people who want them to stay friends. I love that there’s that tension among the fans, and it just speaks to the fact that Jason and Ginny brought those characters to life and people really believe in their souls. I think we’re going to keep leaning into that. We’re going to keep delivering for the audience, keep making the world bigger, and keep taking you places you haven’t been before, with a lot of new animals.”
Looking Ahead
With Zootopia 3 now in development, the future of the beloved franchise looks bright.
Photo: Disney
If Disney has its way, the story of Nick and Judy will continue for years to come.
“There are so many stories to tell,” Clark Spencer, President of Disney Animation, explained.
Photo: Disney
“There are so many other districts we can go into. We didn’t have reptiles the first time, and we’re allowing birds to come in this time. That allows the story to get bigger and bigger, to always feel fresh. But, at its core, this is always going to be a story about Nick Wilde and Judy Hopps. It’s going to always have Jason Bateman and Ginnifer Goodwin, because they are the core of these films. They bring not only comedy, but great emotion and great conflict. And one of the things I’ve always loved about the franchise is that there’s a procedural side and a fun mystery to go with it.”
Photo: MickeyBlog
