Zootopia 2 Review: IMDb & RT Ratings — Worth Watching on Disney+?

The original Zootopia was one of Disney Animation's finest achievements of the 2010s. It earned nearly universal critical acclaim, won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, and grossed over a billion dollars worldwide. Eight years later, Zootopia 2 has arrived, carrying the weight of those enormous expectations. The sequel reunites Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde for another adventure in the mammal metropolis, but this time the reviews are decidedly more mixed.

Here is the full ratings breakdown, how the sequel compares to the original, and whether it is worth your time on Disney+.

The Ratings Breakdown

The numbers paint a clear picture: Zootopia 2 is a commercially successful animated film that does not match the critical heights of its predecessor. A 6.7 IMDb is perfectly respectable for an animated sequel — most do not come close to their originals — but the drop from 8.0 is significant. The 76% Rotten Tomatoes score means roughly one in four critics gave it a negative review, compared to essentially zero for the original.

The audience reception tells a slightly more optimistic story. The 81% RT audience score and the $830 million box office suggest that general viewers enjoyed the film more than critics did. This is a common pattern with animated sequels — familiarity with beloved characters provides a baseline of goodwill that critics, evaluating the film as a standalone work of art, do not factor in the same way.

What Works in Zootopia 2

The animation is stunning. Disney Animation Studios continues to push the technical boundaries of CG animation, and Zootopia 2 is arguably the most visually accomplished animated film of the year. The city of Zootopia has been expanded with new districts, each with distinct ecosystems and visual identities. The fur rendering, lighting, and character animation are all a noticeable step up from the 2016 original.

The voice cast remains a strength. Ginnifer Goodwin and Jason Bateman slip back into Judy and Nick effortlessly, and their chemistry is as engaging as ever. The supporting cast includes several strong new additions who bring fresh energy to the ensemble without overshadowing the leads.

The humor generally lands. Zootopia 2 is consistently entertaining, with clever animal-world sight gags, witty dialogue, and a handful of set pieces that rival anything in the original. For families looking for a fun movie night, it delivers on that basic promise without question.

Where It Falls Short

The original Zootopia worked on two levels simultaneously. On the surface, it was a buddy-cop comedy with charming characters and exciting action. Underneath, it was a surprisingly nuanced exploration of prejudice, stereotyping, and systemic bias that resonated with audiences of all ages. That thematic ambition is what elevated it from a good animated movie to a great one.

Zootopia 2 does not attempt the same thematic depth. The story is more straightforward — an adventure plot with personal stakes for the main characters, but without the social commentary that gave the original its edge. This is the primary criticism in most negative reviews: the sequel is entertaining but feels smaller in ambition than what came before.

The pacing also suffers in the middle act. At 108 minutes, it is longer than the original's 108 minutes (actually the same runtime), but the story has less narrative momentum. Several subplots feel like they exist to set up future installments rather than serving the current film, which is a frustrating trend in modern franchise filmmaking.

Best Animated Movies on Disney+ Right Now

If Zootopia 2 has you in the mood for animated films, Disney+ has one of the deepest animated libraries of any streaming platform. Here are some of the highest-rated options:

For a broader look at animated content across all platforms, check out our guide to the best anime movies and series streaming in 2026.

See Ratings on Every Disney+ Title

Disney+ suffers from the same problem as Netflix: it does not show you external ratings. You see a title card, a brief synopsis, and maybe a content advisory, but nothing that tells you whether the film is a 98% masterpiece or a 34% disaster. For a platform that hosts everything from Pixar classics to straight-to-streaming sequels, that lack of information is a real problem.

CineMan AI adds IMDb and Rotten Tomatoes ratings directly to every Disney+ title. You can instantly see that the original Zootopia is an 8.0 while the sequel is a 6.7, or that the random animated movie Disney is promoting on the homepage has a 42% on Rotten Tomatoes. CineMan also adds a personal taste-match score, so you know how likely you are to enjoy something before committing. Learn more in our guide to getting IMDb ratings on Disney+.

The Verdict

Zootopia 2 is a solid animated sequel that delivers on entertainment value but does not reach the heights of its predecessor. The 6.7 IMDb and 76% RT scores reflect a film that is fun, visually gorgeous, and well-voiced, but lacking the thematic ambition that made the original special. For families with kids who loved the first film, it is an easy recommendation. For adults looking for animated films with the depth and intelligence of the original Zootopia, the titles in our table above — particularly Coco, WALL-E, and Spider-Verse — are better bets.