In late February of 2026, the biggest American film of 2025 has been decided. And it’s Disney’s Zootopia 2.
That’s because in late February, the movie — which has been playing in theaters since late Novemnber —passed $424 million in U.S. ticket sales, placing it ahead of the other biggest domestic hit of 2025, Warner Bros.’ A Minecraft Movie.
Zootopia 2 already holds the title of the biggest worldwide hit of 2025 among American films, with an international gross of $1.849 billion. The only 2025 film to earn more money worldwide in theaters last year was Ne Zha 2, an animated blockbuster from China. (That film only grossed $23 million in the U.S., though.)
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Those numbers make Zootopia 2 an even bigger smash than the first film — which was already one of Disney’s biggest hits of the 21st century. The original feature, from 2016, earned $341.2 million in the United States and $1.025 billion worldwide. A roughly 85 percent jump in ticket sales is a pretty solid performance for a sequel — although these numbers do not consider inflation.
Zootopia 2 has benefited from a relative lack of kids movies in the marketplace since the start of 2026, which is a big reason why it’s still playing in many theaters, and still bringing in audiences of families looking for something to see on a weekend afternoon. That will change on March 6 when Disney (and its studio Pixar) will release their next production, Hoppers. The Super Mario Bros.Galaxy Movie follows on April 1, essentially the same release date A Minecraft Movie had in 2025. (Apparently the big video-game movie of the year is bound by law to open in theaters in the first weekend of April.)
Zootopia 2, about a pair of crime fighters in a world of talking animals, is now the second billion-dollar hit in a row from Walt Disney Animation, following 2024’s Moana 2. After several misses back to back (2022’s Strange World and 2023’s Wish) that’s quite an impressive rebound. The studio’s next animated project, Hexed, is scheduled to debut in theaters next November in that same slot Zootopia 2 held back in 2025. (Apparently the big Disney animated movie of the year is bound by law to open in theaters for Thanksgiving.)
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Gallery Credit: Emma Stefansky
