China Box Office: 'Zootopia 2' Makes Huge $272 Million Debut, Biggest Hollywood Success in Years

Disneys animated sequel Zootopia 2 launched spectacularly in China over the holiday weekend, earning an astonishing $272 million across five days. The films debut marks a significant achievement, reminiscent of a period when Hollywood saw immense potential in the Chinese market, which had become more selective over the past few years, favoring local productions over foreign releases. Zootopia 2 appears to have captured the hearts of audiences of all ages, proving its universal appeal.

This opening makes it the second-largest debut ever for a U.S. film in China, surpassed only by Avengers: Endgame with $330.5 million. Additionally, the film has already broken multiple records for a foreign animated release, including the largest opening, the highest single-day earnings, and the fastest cumulative total.

Like in the United States, where the movie holds a 91% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, Chinese audiences have responded exceptionally well. Zootopia 2 scores 9.7 on Maoyan, surpassing the original Zootopia (9.5) and Inside Out 2 (9.1), and 8.6 on Douban. Maoyan projects that the film could surpass $590 million in total earnings, with a cumulative forecast of RMB 4.2 billion. By comparison, the second-largest U.S. release in China this year, Universals Jurassic World: Rebirth, earned RMB 567.2 million ($79 million).

Disney entered the Chinese market with high expectations. The first Zootopia, released in 2016, grew from an initial $22 million opening to become the highest-grossing imported animated film in China, totaling $236 million. Known locally as Crazy Animal City, the story of Judy Hopps, a determined rabbit chasing her dreams in a bustling city, resonated strongly with young audiences. On Douban, the original film has 2.3 million reviews and an average score of 9.3, among the highest for an imported movie.

Building on this success, Disney opened the worlds first Zootopia-themed land at Shanghai Disney Resort in late 2023, which quickly became one of the parks top attractions. The global premiere of Zootopia 2 took place at the Shanghai park on November 18, featuring U.S. voice actors Ginnifer Goodwin and Ke Huy Quan, director Jared Bush, and other cast members, alongside Chinese fans dressed in Zootopia-themed costumes.

Looking ahead, Disney has another major release with strong potential in China: James Camerons Avatar: Fire and Ash. The Avatar series has a lasting emotional connection with Chinese audiences. The original Avatar debuted in 2010 with $202.6 million despite the country having only 5,690 screens at the time (compared to over 86,000 today). Its sequel, Avatar: The Way of Water, earned $246 million in China in 2022, second only to North America, though COVID restrictions limited its performance.

A successful run for Zootopia 2 indicates that, despite challenges, Chinese audiences remain eager for select high-profile Hollywood releases.

Author: Sophia Brooks