Theme Park Scope

Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde aren’t done solving cases just yet.

After the record-breaking success of Zootopia 2, Disney is officially heading back to the mammal metropolis for another adventure.

During the Disney Entertainment Showcase at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event, Walt Disney Animation Studios confirmed that Zootopia 3 is officially in production, with Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde set to return for the third installment in the hugely successful animated franchise.

But Disney didn’t stop with simply announcing another movie.

We also got our first tease of where the story could be heading next; and a completely new group of residents appears to be coming to Zootopia!

Walt Disney Animation Studios Chief Creative Officer Jared Bush, who co-directed both Zootopia and Zootopia 2, took the stage at D23 to make the announcement.

Disney confirmed that work is already underway on the third movie, with Ginnifer Goodwin expected to return as Judy Hopps and Jason Bateman as Nick Wilde.

The announcement comes less than a year after Zootopia 2 arrived in theaters and turned into an absolutely massive success for Disney.

The sequel earned nearly $1.9 billion at the worldwide box office, becoming the highest-grossing Hollywood animated film of all time.

So, another trip to Zootopia isn’t exactly surprising. What is surprising is where Disney appears to be taking us next.

Here’s the biggest tease from the announcement; birds are coming!

Disney revealed new artwork during the presentation featuring Judy and Nick alongside a flock of birds, suggesting the third movie will expand the world of Zootopia once again.

That’s a pretty significant development for a franchise that originally built its world almost entirely around mammals.

The first Zootopia introduced us to a sprawling city designed for animals living in dramatically different environments, from the frozen Tundratown to the tiny streets of Little Rodentia.

Then, Zootopia 2 expanded that world by introducing reptiles more prominently into the story. Now, it looks like Zootopia 3 could take another big step by finally exploring where birds fit into this animal metropolis.

Exactly what role they’ll play remains a mystery, but Disney is clearly hinting that they’ll be important.

Thankfully, the heart of the franchise isn’t going anywhere.

Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde will return for the third film following their latest adventure in Zootopia 2.

The original Zootopia followed rookie police officer Judy as she teamed up with reluctant con artist Nick to uncover a conspiracy affecting predators throughout the city.

By Zootopia 2, the pair were officially working together as partners while investigating another mystery that led them into previously unexplored corners of Zootopia.

Now, they’ll apparently have another case on their paws — and potentially a whole new population of feathered residents to contend with.

Disney hasn’t revealed any specific plot details yet, so we’ll have to wait to find out exactly what brings birds into Judy and Nick’s next adventure.

It’s hard to overstate just how successful Zootopia has become for Disney.

The original movie debuted in 2016 and went on to earn more than $1 billion worldwide while also winning the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.

Nearly a decade later, Zootopia 2 proved audiences were more than ready to return.

The sequel became the biggest Hollywood animated movie of all time, earning nearly $1.9 billion globally. It also became the No. 1 domestic movie release of 2025 before finding another massive audience on Disney+.

Disney reported that Zootopia 2 generated 32 million global views during its first week on Disney+, making it the platform’s No. 1 movie worldwide during its premiere week.

With numbers like those, Judy and Nick getting a third adventure suddenly feels less surprising.

When Will Zootopia 3 Be Released?

For now, this is one detail Disney is keeping under wraps. Disney has not announced a release date for Zootopia 3.

The studio has only confirmed that the movie is officially in development, Judy and Nick will return, and birds are expected to become part of the franchise’s ever-expanding world.

That means there’s still a LOT we don’t know — including the full returning cast, new characters, story details, and exactly how our feathered friends will fit into Zootopia.

But after waiting nearly a decade between the first two movies, there’s at least some good news for Zootopia fans this time around:

The next adventure is already underway.

Keep checking back with Theme Park Scope for the latest D23 announcements, Zootopia 3 news, Walt Disney Animation Studios updates, upcoming Disney movies, trailers, casting announcements, and everything new from Disney Entertainment.