Disney's "Zootopia" is getting not just one but two sequels in the next few years. A voice actor from the movie revealed the news during a meet and greet with fans in Ontario, Canada over the weekend.
Tommy "Tiny" Lister apparently dropped the bomb that the House of Mouse was developing two new big screen follow-ups to "Zootopia," which first ran in theaters in 2016, according to the Mickey blog. The actor voices the role of Finnick the fox, the sidekick to Jason Bateman's Nick Wilde.
Lister also said that the next "Zootopia" movies will have the biggest budgeted productions among all of Disney's animated films. Apparently, Disney is shelling out 300 million to get the second movie done, which is 60 million costlier than the first movie.
There has been some buzz about a sequel to "Zootopia" following the release of the first film. The movie deserves a follow up since it's not just a box office hit; it's also an award-winning animated film with several honors from the Oscars (Best Animated Feature), the Golden Globes (Best Motion Picture - Animated), the British film industry's BAFTA (Best Feature Film) and the American Film Institution (Movie of the Year).
The news comes as Disney in Shanghai, China announced it will open a Zootopia attraction as part of its major expansion. For now, the site is still under development and construction will not begin until the end of 2019. But Disney chose this theme park to host the Zootopia rides because the movie became the number one animated film in China's box office history.
The Zootopia attraction will have Disney visitors fully enjoying what it's like to live in the make-believe city. They will be entertained by mascots like Judy and Nick, the film's lead characters. The Zootopia attraction will also feature entertainment, merchandise and food or drinks related to the movie. This way, guests will be fully immersed in the upcoming theme park's vibe.
Shanghai Disneyland opened in 2016 and received over 11 million visitors in its first year. By the middle of its second year, the park opened its first major attraction with Toy Story Land. Zootopia will be the second major development.
"Zootopia" takes place in an anthropomorphic world inhabited by mammals. It follows Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin) who dreams of becoming a police officer as a child. When she did get graduate at the academy, Officer Judy received parking duties as her first assignment. But her nose for crime led her to two con artists, Nick Wilde and Finnick, and a biological anomaly that could explain the rise of predators in the city.
