Global Box Office: ‘Zootopia 2’ Crosses $1B Faster Than Any PG-Rated Film in History

Entertainment NewsBox OfficeDisneyAnimationCinema NewsNew ReleasesIndustryStudiosBusinessFilmTheatrical ReleasesMovies

Dec 14

“Zootopia 2” has achieved a remarkable milestone, becoming the fastest PG-rated movie in history to surpass the $1 billion mark. — **Credit: Disney**

Disney’s animated juggernaut proves theatrical dominance isn’t dead — audiences just demand the right event.

At a moment when Hollywood is openly questioning the future of theatrical exhibition, Disney’s Zootopia 2 has delivered an answer that’s difficult to ignore.

The Walt Disney Animation Studios sequel crossed the $1 billion mark at the global box office after just 17 days in release, becoming the fastest PG-rated film — animated or otherwise — to ever reach the milestone. The achievement places Zootopia 2 alongside only one other 2025 release to hit $1 billion so far, following Disney’s own Lilo & Stitch, and marks one of the most decisive theatrical wins of the post-pandemic era.

The film added another $26.3 million domestically over the weekend, pushing its North American total to $259.6 million. Internationally, it has grossed approximately $877.8 million, bringing its worldwide haul to roughly $1.08 billion and counting.

The sequel reclaimed the top spot at the domestic box office in its third weekend, overtaking Five Nights at Freddy’s 2, which dropped to second place after earning $8.6 million. The horror sequel has now crossed $95 million domestically and $174 million worldwide — a solid performance, but one dwarfed by Zootopia 2’s sustained dominance.

Elsewhere in the marketplace, Wicked: For Good continues to perform as a Thanksgiving holdover success, becoming one of just five films released in 2025 to surpass $300 million domestically, joining A Minecraft Movie, Lilo & Stitch, Superman, and Jurassic World: Rebirth. The holiday corridor has proven once again that the market can sustain multiple large-scale event titles when audiences are given clear reasons to show up.

Not every release has benefited from the seasonal upswing. James L. Brooks’ long-gestating political comedy-drama Ella McCay struggled to find footing, opening to an estimated $1.9 million despite a high-profile ensemble cast and a wide release footprint. The film’s underperformance underscores the widening gap between audience appetite for four-quadrant spectacle and the diminishing theatrical viability of adult-oriented prestige fare outside of awards-season breakouts.

POPULAR ON THE CINEMA GROUP

For Disney, however, Zootopia 2 represents more than a single hit. The film marks the studio’s first instance of back-to-back billion-dollar releases from Walt Disney Animation Studios, following last year’s Moana 2. Since 2013, the animation banner has now delivered five $1 billion-plus titles across the Frozen, Moana, and Zootopia franchises — an unmatched run in modern animation.

The sequel’s success has also reignited interest in the original 2016 film, which has seen a significant spike in home-entertainment viewership in recent weeks, reinforcing the franchise’s long-tail value across platforms.

With Christmas still ahead and family audiences actively seeking theatrical options, Zootopia 2 shows little sign of slowing down. Its performance stands as a reminder that theatrical isn’t broken — it’s selective. When studios deliver recognizable IP, broad emotional appeal, and true event scale, audiences continue to show up in force.