Zootopia 2 tops $1.27 billion with China driving half

Disney The Walt Disney Company's ↘ 2.17% animated sequel has emerged as the highest-grossing Hollywood film of 2025, with China accounting for nearly half of its worldwide revenue as the country's box office reaches historic heights.

Zootopia 2 has reached $1.27 billion globally as of December 21, with $282 million from North America and approximately $990 million from international markets. China alone contributed more than $502 million to the film's total, making it the second-highest grossing Hollywood release in the country's history, trailing only Avengers: Endgame. The animated feature crossed the $1 billion threshold in just 17 days, setting a record as the fastest Hollywood animated film and fastest PG-rated movie to reach that milestone.abcnews.go+8

China's Market Power Reshapes Global Film Industry

The success underscores China's growing influence in the global film market. The country's box office has reached 51 billion yuan ($7.2 billion) in 2025 as of December 21, compared with 42.5 billion yuan for all of 2024. While domestic films account for 81.9 percent of China's total box office revenue, select Hollywood releases like Zootopia 2 have demonstrated the market's continued importance for major studios.bloomberg+1

"The Chinese market has become an indispensable box office pillar for Hollywood and a key force capable of steering global industry trends," according to industry observers cited by Chinese state media. Mike Wang, a partner at a U.S. cinema chain, expressed optimism about the film's performance: "I think this movie will be very good and popular in China. The popularity will continue for around two months".bastillepost

Cultural Resonance Drives Chinese Success

Zootopia 2's performance in China has been bolstered by the character Gary De'Snake, voiced by Ke Huy Quan, whose debut coincided with the Year of the Snake in the Chinese zodiac. The pit viper character has resonated strongly with Chinese audiences, prompting Disney to collaborate with over 70 Chinese brands for merchandise and promotional partnerships.cnn+2

The film became China's highest-grossing foreign animated feature of all time, surpassing the original Zootopia's previous record. Box Office Mojo data shows the sequel earned $3.55 billion yuan (approximately $503 million) in China, significantly outpacing its $282 million domestic haul.kioncentralcoast+3

Christopher Rea, associate head of the Department of Asia Studies at the University of British Columbia, noted the broader implications: "It shows that there is a shift in the power of the global film market".bastillepost