‘Zootopia’ was a major hit in China. Will its sequel do as well?

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Last week at the Beijing premiere of “Zootopia 2,” Jared Bush, the Chief Creative Officer of Walt Disney Animation Studios, was surprised to see an entire wall covered in letters. People from all over China had written about the impact the original “Zootopia” movie had on their lives.

Attendees were inspired by the positive attitude of the character Judy Hopps and expressed a desire to be more like her. They also found hope in the unexpected friendship between Judy and her partner, Nick Wilde, believing it showed them they could connect with family members they disagreed with. This atmosphere of optimism was unique to this premiere, according to reports.

“These characters mean a lot to people,” explained Bush, the writer and director of “Zootopia 2,” who collaborated with Byron Howard on the direction. “It’s incredible to hear how they’ve helped people get through tough times. There’s a real connection and a lot of love for them.”

Even now, the first “Zootopia” movie remains the highest-earning Hollywood animated film ever in China, bringing in $236 million at the box office. The marketing campaign for the new film has involved partnerships with ten different brands and promotional displays in major cities like Shenzhen, Chengdu, and Beijing.

The Chinese film market has changed a lot over time, and it’s now more challenging for American movies to succeed. This raises questions about whether “Zootopia,” opening Wednesday, will be able to attract a large audience there, despite these difficulties.

Hollywood Inc.

Reports from Chinese bloggers suggest the government led by Xi Jinping is thinking about prohibiting Hollywood films. If this happens, it could pull entertainment businesses into the ongoing trade dispute.

This country used to be a prime location for big-budget Hollywood films, but now boasts a thriving local film scene with increasingly competitive movies. Tensions between the U.S. and China, combined with younger viewers’ preference for short videos on their phones, have also contributed to changes in the market.

Disney’s distribution chief, Andrew Cripps, emphasized the importance of both ‘Zootopia’ and the upcoming ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’ performing well. He believes the entire movie industry needs a strong finish to the year, and success for these films would signal a healthy and confident market.

For a while, China looked like a very profitable market for major Hollywood films, as long as the Chinese government approved them for release.

Ten years ago, Hollywood films often earned over $100 million in China, with huge hits like “Furious 7” (2015) and “Transformers: Age of Extinction” (2014) each making over $300 million. China could significantly boost a movie’s earnings, even if it didn’t perform well in the US and Canada. For example, “Resident Evil: The Final Chapter” (2016) made almost $160 million in China, compared to just $26.8 million in the US and Canada.

China’s film industry experienced slower growth in 2016. According to Ying Zhu, author of “Hollywood in China,” this led to a 10.9% increase in revenue from foreign films, especially those from the U.S. like Universal’s “Warcraft” and Marvel’s “Captain America: Civil War.”

Foreign films made up 41.7% of the movie market share, an increase from 38.4% in 2015, she explained in an email. To increase revenue at the end of the year, Chinese officials also eased restrictions on imported films typically enforced in December, a period usually reserved for domestic releases.

While “Zootopia” initially earned $22 million at the Chinese box office, it gained popularity over time. Typically, American movies only play in Chinese theaters for four weeks, but regulators extended “Zootopia’s” run by two weeks, according to co-director and writer Bush.

Speaking from Beijing during the film’s promotional tour, he said ‘Zootopia’ unexpectedly became incredibly popular in China. We weren’t expecting such a big reaction to the movie here, he added.

The movie, nicknamed “Crazy Animal City” in China, resonated with viewers thanks to the relatable relationship between its main characters, Nick and Judy – despite their flaws, they genuinely cared for each other. Judy’s story of leaving her rural hometown for the big city also struck a chord with audiences. Animated films, in general, have a strong following in China.

Following the success of the movie Zootopia, Disney created a *Zootopiathemed area within Shanghai Disneyland, which opened in 2023. It’s the only place of its kind at any Disney park worldwide. Recently, Disney hosted the Shanghai premiere of the film at this special land, and fans in both Shanghai and Beijing showed up dressed as characters from the movie – even some of the more minor characters, like Fru Fru the shrew and Officer Clauhauser, the cheetah who loves pop culture.

Beginning in 2020 with the COVID-19 pandemic, China has shown less interest in Hollywood movies, especially as its relationship with the United States has become more strained.

This year, China initially intended to limit the number of American movies shown in its theaters, partly due to trade disagreements with the U.S. Simultaneously, China’s own film industry has grown stronger, with more domestic films becoming popular. A prime example is the animated film “Ne Zha 2,” which earned nearly $2.2 billion globally, with $1.8 billion of that coming from Chinese audiences.

Like the U.S., China’s movie industry has also been affected by the rise of short videos and more people choosing to watch entertainment on their phones and tablets, which means fewer people are going to the cinema.

U.S. movies haven’t been performing as well in China recently. While Universal’s “Jurassic World: Rebirth” earned $79 million this year – the highest for an American film so far – that’s significantly less than what U.S. films used to make. The last Disney movie to gross over $100 million in China was “Alien: Romulus” released in 2024.

As a huge movie fan, I’ve noticed certain types of films still really connect with Chinese audiences. Things like heartwarming family movies, massive action blockbusters with incredible special effects, and popular animated series always seem to do well. I’m hearing that there’s a cautious optimism surrounding this particular film’s performance in China, largely because people are already familiar with the franchise, and there’s even a themed land at Shanghai Disney Resort, which should help!

After the challenges of the past few years, it’s difficult to feel confident until we see concrete results, but things are definitely looking positive as we move forward.

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2025-11-26 14:32