Groups | Search | Server Info | Login | Register

Groups > rec.arts.disney.animation > #1915

Re: Zootopia 2's Home Release Is Here, and Disney Is Pushing "Animation" Hard Again

Show all headers | View raw

> Your Name wrote:
> On 2026-02-27 18:19:36 +0000, MummyChunk said:
> 
>> 
>> It's kind of funny how quickly the conversation shifts once a big
>> animated movie moves from theaters into living rooms. Zootopia 2 is now
>> firmly in that phase. It already hit digital recently, and the physical
>> disc release is basically right around the corner in early March.
>> That's usually when the second wave of discourse shows up, because a
>> lot of people who skipped theaters finally watch it, and the "was it
>> actually good or was it hype" takes start rolling in. If you liked it,
>> it's also the moment where you start noticing all the little background
>> gags and worldbuilding details that go by too fast on a first watch.
>> 
>> What's interesting from a Disney Animation perspective is how much the
>> studio seems to be leaning into the idea of animation as a brand again,
>> not just individual titles. There's a new push in the parks too, with
>> Disney announcing a new animation focused experience coming to
>> Hollywood Studios this summer that's very explicitly framed around the
>> craft and the studio vibe. That might sound like theme park fluff, but
>> it's also a signal about confidence. Studios don't usually spotlight
>> the making of animation this directly unless they think the audience is
>> excited about animation itself, not just the next IP drop.
>> 
>> On the Pixar side, Toy Story 5 marketing has also started to creep into
>> the broader Disney animation conversation even though it's a different
>> studio. The "toys vs tech" angle they're teasing feels like it could
>> either be surprisingly sharp or painfully on the nose depending on how
>> it's written. I'm cautiously optimistic because it's a real modern
>> problem for kids and play, but it's also the sort of theme that can
>> turn into a lecture if they're not careful. Either way, when Pixar
>> ramps up, it tends to pull more general attention back onto animation
>> as a whole, and Disney benefits from that halo even when it isn't their
>> film.
>> 
>> The bigger question for the Disney Animation fans is what comes after
>> this current wave. Zootopia 2 doing huge numbers keeps the sequel
>> machine rolling, but the studio also really needs a steady pipeline of
>> originals that people actually show up for, because that's what keeps
>> the brand healthy long term. Sequels can carry a lot, but they can also
>> make the studio feel like it's only playing defense if there isn't
>> something new and distinctive in the mix.
>> 
>> Curious how people here are feeling right now. Does Zootopia 2 feel
>> like the studio hitting its stride again, or just a big franchise doing
>> big franchise things. And on the parks side, does the renewed
>> "animation as a place you can visit" vibe make you think Disney is
>> gearing up for a stronger animation era, or is it just nostalgia
>> packaging.
>> 
> 
> 
> "Zootopia" was quite good. The Zootopia+ shorts were pretty awful. I
> haven't yet seen "Zootopia 2".
> 
> The problem with trying to make an on-going franchise is that they
> usually quickly run out of any sensible ideas (nad/or idiotically
> "reboot" it), and it just becomes silly and eventually ruins any good
> name that the original had built up. It is best to keep things to a
> limited run.



I get what you mean. The first one felt like it had an actual story to tell and a world that wasn't just window dressing. Once something turns into a "franchise," it's like the goal shifts from making a good movie to keeping the logo alive, and you start getting sequels that feel obligated.

Zootopia+ didn't do much for me either. A couple moments were cute, but mostly it felt like side-character filler that never added up to anything.

I haven't seen Zootopia 2 yet, and I'm kind of torn. Part of me wants to leave the original alone, and part of me is curious whether they found a real angle or if it's just more "remember this?" stuff. 


This is a response to the post seen at:
http://www.jlaforums.com/viewtopic.php?p=701975940#701975940

Back to rec.arts.disney.animation | Previous | Next — Previous in thread | Find similar

Thread

Zootopia 2's Home Release Is Here, and Disney Is Pushing "Animation" Hard Again mummycullen@gmail-dot-com.no-spam.invalid (MummyChunk) - 2026-02-27 13:19 -0500
  Re: Zootopia 2's Home Release Is Here, and Disney Is Pushing "Animation" Hard Again Your Name <YourName@YourISP.com> - 2026-02-28 10:52 +1300
    Re: Zootopia 2's Home Release Is Here, and Disney Is Pushing "Animation" Hard Again mummycullen@gmail-dot-com.no-spam.invalid (MummyChunk) - 2026-02-27 19:41 -0500

csiph-web