Zootopia 2 Smashes Records in China with $275 Million Opening
SHANGHAI — Disney's Zootopia 2 has set a new record as the highest-grossing animated foreign film ever in China, despite the country's generally muted interest in overseas movies. As of Monday morning Beijing time, the film had already raked in an impressive 1.95 billion yuan ($275.6 million) in its first six days of release.
This achievement is all the more remarkable considering the changing landscape for foreign films in China over the nine years since the original Zootopia film was released. The original Zootopia was already a hit, becoming China's most popular foreign animated film when it was released in 2016. However, the success of Zootopia 2 is even more significant.
The film's themes of personal resilience and societal harmony seem to have struck a chord with local audiences, as noted by Ashley Dudarenok, founder of China digital consultancy Chozan. The runaway success in China is notable, as Zootopia 2 sales accounted for around 95% of all movie ticket sales over its opening weekend.
This success comes at a time when Hollywood films have been caught in the crossfire of the U.S.-China trade war. Beijing has curbed the number of U.S. films shown in China, but analysts suggest that the impact on foreign films is limited due to their waning influence in the country. However, local Chinese animations have been gaining traction, with Ne Zha 2 surpassing Pixar's Inside Out 2 to become the world's highest-grossing animated film of all time at the Chinese box office.
Despite this, Disney remains confident in Zootopia 2's potential in China. Chief Executive Bob Iger traveled to Shanghai for the local premiere, and Disney partnered with China Eastern Airlines on a Zootopia 2-themed plane. The Shanghai Disneyland resort also boasts the world's only Zootopia-themed land, which opened in 2023 to capitalize on the local affection for the original film.
Analysts like Paolo Pescatore from PP Foresight emphasize that China remains a massive and expanding market for Disney's theme parks, movies, and merchandise, despite geopolitical tensions and macroeconomic uncertainties. However, Chris Fenton, author of Feeding the Dragon, warns that the success of Zootopia 2 might give Hollywood studios false hope that China is rekindling its love affair with foreign films.
Fenton suggests that Beijing doesn't view Hollywood as a solution to restrained consumer spending in China and that the success of Zootopia 2 shouldn't be interpreted as a pivot by Beijing. Instead, it highlights the continued influence of Chinese filmmakers and their willingness to kowtow to Beijing's storytelling requirements.
