Disney says Zootopia 2 is China’s top Hollywood film
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Zootopia 2's breakout performance has turned into a broader cultural moment in China.
PHOTO: AFP
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BEIJING – Walt Disney said Zootopia 2 has overtaken Avengers: Endgame (2019) to become the biggest Hollywood film ever released in China when measured in local currency.
The animated sequel to Zootopia (2016) has grossed about 4.256 billion yuan (S$780 million), the company said in a statement on Jan 5, surpassing Avengers: Endgame, which made 4.25 billion yuan in China.
Zootopia 2 has also overtaken Frozen 2 (2019) to become the highest-grossing film for Walt Disney Animation Studios, the company said on Dec 31.
Zootopia 2 is one of three movies to cross US$1 billion (S$1.28 billion) globally in 2025, with Disney’s live-action Lilo & Stitch remake and Chinese animated blockbuster Ne Zha 2 the other two films.
Disney’s Avatar: Fire And Ash, which opened on Dec 19, surpassed US$1 billion in global box-office proceeds on Jan 3.
Zootopia 2 was released in cinemas on Nov 26 in China, the world’s second-largest movie market. The country also hosted the world’s only Zootopia-themed park in Shanghai Disney Resort.
The film’s breakout performance has turned into a broader cultural moment in China. Fans have flocked to cinemas carrying Zootopia-themed merchandise – from plush toys to handbags – while some screenings have even welcomed moviegoers with pets.
Zootopia 2 reclaimed the top spot at the Chinese box office over the first weekend of 2026, dethroning Avatar: Fire And Ash.
A surge in demand for animated blockbusters, including Zootopia 2 and Ne Zha 2, has helped lift China’s overall box-office revenue in 2025 by 20 per cent to 51.8 billion yuan, even as other releases struggle to attract audiences.
Animated films generated nearly half of the box-office revenue in 2025, with 57 titles grossing more than 25 billion yuan, according to a report by Chinese ticketing platform Maoyan. While repeat viewings by fans helped boost sales for Ne Zha 2 and Zootopia 2, local films earning less than one billion yuan saw a sharp decline, the report said.
Family-friendly films are also doing well in the United States, with A Minecraft Movie from Warner Bros. Discovery and Lilo & Stitch ranking in the top two spots domestically. Bloomberg
Zootopia 2 is showing in Singapore cinemas.
