Disney's 'Zootopia 2' Replaced One Week After Release

Four years after one of the most unexpected leadership shakeups in Disney history, one of Bob Iger’s earliest comeback moves is proving to be a defining win for the company. But a new player has entered the arena.

In November 2022, Disney made headlines when Chief Executive Officer Bob Chapek was removed following months of internal friction and public challenges. Bob Iger—who had previously led Disney from 2005 to 2020—returned to the top job, stepping back in after Chapek’s turbulent run and a rocky theatrical period shaped by pandemic shutdowns and a string of under-performing releases across multiple divisions.

Almost immediately, Iger began outlining a refreshed creative slate. At the top of that list were three major animated follow-ups: Frozen 3, Toy Story 5, and Zootopia 2. While Frozen 3 is slated for 2027 and Toy Story 5 arrives next summer, Zootopia 2 reached audiences first—making its debut over Thanksgiving and becoming one of Disney’s most successful recent calls.

The original Zootopia opened in 2016 to wide praise for its blend of comedy, mystery, and thematic depth, ultimately surpassing $1 billion globally and spawning the Disney+ anthology series Zootopia+. Demand for a big-screen sequel has hovered ever since.

Zootopia 2 reunites Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde as they chase a reptilian antagonist shaking up the city. Ginnifer Goodwin and Jason Bateman return, with Ke Huy Quan joining the cast as Gary De’Snake.

The film arrived strong out of the gate, pulling in $10.2 million in Tuesday previews—second only to Moana 2’s $13.8 million for Disney Animation. Industry forecasts projected a five-day Thanksgiving start between $130 million and $160 million; the film logged $39.5 million on opening day. Overseas estimates came in between $135 million and $145 million, including a standout $33.7 million first day in China, ranking among the top ten U.S. film debuts ever in that market.

Its full Thanksgiving performance has pushed the sequel into record territory. Zootopia 2 collected $156 million domestically across the five-day holiday frame and $400 million internationally, bringing its worldwide opening to $556 million. That marks the largest opening ever for an animated film and the fourth-highest debut for any Hollywood title. Over the traditional three-day weekend, it reached $96.8 million domestically, placing just behind 2024’s Moana 2 and its $139.8 million haul.

The film soared in China with a $272 million start—the biggest animated opening ever in the region and the second-largest launch overall behind only 2019’s Avengers: Endgame.

But as the second weekend gets underway, Zootopia 2 has been replaced as the number one movie at the box office.

“Blumhouse-Atomic Monster has their second No. 1 opening movie of the year with Five Nights at Freddy’s 2, which is now lighting up to a massive $56.5M opening after a $29.8M Friday/previews,” Deadline reports. “Blumhouse-Atomic Monster also owns the top two horror openings of the year (yes, they do) with Conjuring: Last Rites ($84M) and now Freddy’s 2.”

With a $56.5 million opening, Freddy’s 2 has topped the charts and replaced Zootopia 2 as the leading movie domestically.

“Together with the second weekend of Zootopia 2 ($45M), and the third weekend of Wicked: For Good ($15.6M), the entire historically sluggish frame is fueling to a record $148.6M, which bests last year’s high for the frame of $137M+,” the outlet added.

Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 stars Josh Hutcherson (Mike Schmidt), Elizabeth Lail (Vanessa Shelly), Piper Rubio (Abby Schmidt), and Matthew Lillard (William Afton).

It’s not over for Zootopia, though; the movie has already achieved so much.

Zootopia 2 also set multiple studio and industry records: highest global opening for an animated sequel, highest worldwide debut for a Disney animated film, highest global opening since 2021, and the strongest of 2025 so far. For comparison, 2016’s Zootopia opened at $75 million domestically and ultimately hit $1.025 billion worldwide, placing the sequel on a path to match or surpass the franchise’s previous milestone.

“The incredible response to Zootopia 2 reflects both its worldwide appeal and the remarkable work of our filmmakers and cast,” said Disney Entertainment Co-Chairman Alan Bergman, via The Hollywood Reporter. “It’s a proud moment for Disney Animation and all of us.”

One of Iger’s earliest 2023 announcements—confirming Zootopia 2 after replacing Chapek—has now materialized into a holiday triumph

How do you feel about the surprise Five Nights at Freddy’s franchise takeover? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!