Zootopia 2 Disney+ Release Date: When To Expect The Sequel

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Walt Disney Animation Studios is following up one of its most successful films with a sequel. The original Zootopia, released in 2016, was a critical and commercial hit, earning near-perfect reviews (98% on Rotten Tomatoes) and over $1 billion worldwide. Despite winning the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, Disney waited several years to begin developing Zootopia 2.

The studio officially announced in 2023 that a sequel to Zootopia was being made, with Jared Bush and Byron Howard returning as directors and Ginnifer Goodwin and Jason Bateman reprising their roles. Zootopia 2 will follow Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde, now working together as partners at the ZPD, as they investigate a new mystery.

Because the first Zootopia movie was such a big hit, Disney has decided to release Zootopia 2 in theaters on November 26th, even though it’s been nine years since the original. It will also be available on Disney+ at a later date.

It’s currently unknown when Zootopia 2 will be available to stream on Disney+, whether you’ve already seen it in theaters or are planning to watch it later. However, based on Disney’s past releases, we can make a pretty good guess about the likely streaming date.

Courtesy of Disney

Disney’s strategy for releasing movies in theaters versus on streaming is pretty complex. They handle each film differently depending on the brand – whether it’s a classic Disney movie, a 20th Century Studios title, part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, or an animated film from Pixar or Disney Animation, like their 2025 sequel.

Over the past two years, Disney movies have typically moved to streaming services after about 88 days in theaters. Films from Disney’s main brands have stayed in theaters a bit longer, averaging 96 days. Historically, Disney animated films have had the longest theatrical runs before becoming available to stream.

Since Disney+ began in 2019, Disney Animation has released six movies. However, the release of Raya and the Last Dragon was unique – it premiered both in theaters and on the streaming service during the COVID-19 pandemic. Later, Encanto and Strange World were quickly moved to Disney+ after just 30 days in theaters, reflecting Disney’s earlier plan to shorten the time movies were shown in cinemas.

Comparing Zootopia 2 to the studio’s other recent films – Frozen II, Wish, and Moana 2 – is more helpful. Those movies were released in theaters and then on streaming platforms with gaps of 114, 133, and 105 days, respectively. The average time between theatrical and streaming releases for those films was 117 days.

Based on current plans, we can expect Zootopia 2 to start streaming on Disney+ in March 2026. This timing would be similar to the release patterns of Frozen 2 and Moana 2, which are good comparisons because those films were also major animated sequels released in theaters around Thanksgiving.

I’m fairly certain the movie will start streaming in March 2026. If I had to guess specific dates, March 13th or March 20th seem most probable. Releasing on March 20th would match the 114-day gap Frozen 2 had after its theatrical release, while March 13th would be two days longer than the gap Moana 2 had.

Moving the release of Zootopia 2 to March 20, 2026, could be a smart move for Disney. Pixar’s Hoppers is scheduled to hit theaters on March 6th, and releasing Zootopia 2 on streaming the very next week might split families’ attention. Waiting until March 20th gives both films more breathing room and a better chance to succeed, especially during the crucial second weekend after release.

You’ll be able to watch Zootopia 2 at home digitally starting in January 2026. However, if you prefer to stream it on Disney+, you’ll need to wait until March of next year.

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2025-11-24 20:39