Zootopia 2 Footage Reaction: Disney Heads To The Marsh With Ke Huy Quan As Gary The Snake [D23]

Nearly a decade after "Zootopia" became one of the highest-grossing movies of all time (unadjusted for inflation), Walt Disney Animation is finally bringing Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin) and Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman) back to the big screen. /Film's Jacob Hall is on the ground at this year's D23 convention in Anaheim, and was in the room when Goodwin took the stage, announcing the inclusion of a new character in this animal-friendly sequel: Gary, a friendly looking snake voiced by Ke Huy Quan. Described as "a wanted reptile Judy and Nick are trying to find," he's about the goofiest looking viper I've ever met.

IGN

An exclusive clip of "Zootopia 2" was previewed, showing that Judy and her foxy partner Nick are known investigators after the events of the first film. The clip, less than a minute long, sets up where the film might be taking place: "Marsh Market," a neighborhood for semi-aquatic animals. One of those is Nibbles, a beaver who catches Judy and Nick up to date on local lingo by exchanging some stereotypical Southern-accented chatter with a walrus.

The aesthetic of Market Marsh, described by Jacob as "redneck chic," evokes Southern coastal settings such as Alabama or Louisiana. Market Marsh could well be the Zootopian equivalent of New Orleans. Like how Venice has aqua-ways built into its metropolis, the footage of Market Marsh shows aquatic animals moving across docks and sometimes through tubes.

Eight years is an awfully long time to wait for a sequel to a film that grossed over $1 billion, and the longer fans waited for an official announcement, the less likely it felt that "Zootopia 2" would ever happen. The original film's directors, Byron Howard and Rich Moore, previously expressed interest in telling another story about the Zootopia Police Department's plucky rabbit cop Judy Hopps and foxy con artist Nick Wilde, who graduated from the Zootopia Police Academy at the conclusion of the first movie. However, the reins for the sequel have been handed over to Jared Bush (the co-writer of the original film) and Josie Trinidad (who concocted the original movie's story).

Goodwin has stated that she would like Judy to be the cynic this time out, with Nick having to convince her "that the world is worth fighting for." Meanwhile, Bateman just loves the idea of being a member of the ZPD: "The two of us [Nick and Judy] kicking a** out there. Cleaning up the streets. We're a couple of new cops out there. So, bad guys, be warned."

Bob Iger announced "Zootopia 2" would be heading into production soon after he returned as Disney's CEO, and, again, given the first film's box office success, it felt like a slam-dunk decision that would delight fans and shareholders alike. "Zootopia 2" is currently slated for release on November 26, 2025, and should absolutely clean up over Thanksgiving weekend and beyond.