At the Annecy Animation Festival this Friday morning, Walt Disney Animation Studios offered a first look at its highly anticipated sequel, “Zootopia 2,” coming to theaters on Nov. 26.
Walt Disney Animation Studios chief creative officer and director/writer of the upcoming “Zootopia 2,” Jared Bush, made his first appearance in Annecy to delight the Bonlieu audience with new footage and images from the upcoming sequel to the beloved Oscar-winning film.
“Over the last few months, I’ve been thinking a lot about this moment,” Bush told the audience. “Being here with all of you, like all of us, together in this amazing global community of artists and dreamers who love animation. We all live for it.”
A crowd consisting of industry vets, studio execs and several hundred artists and students responded with laughs, audible “awws” and tremendous excitement to the footage, which featured returning characters Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin), Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman) and Mr. Big (Maurice LaMarche), and new characters Gary De’Snake (Ke Huy Quan), Nibbles (Fortune Feimster) and Dr. Fuzzby (Quinta Brunson).
“Nick and Judy are now Zootopia Police Department’s newest rookie cop partners,” Bush said. “But the question of this movie is whether these two animals, who are so different, really have what it takes to stay together in the long run. In other words, if the first movie was like their honeymoon, this movie is what moving in feels like.”
The largely French audience was particularly thrilled to find out that iconic French actor Jean Reno will lend his voice to a cameo role as an officer of the Zootopia Police Department.
Bush introduced a variety of new environments and characters in the sequel, including Marsh Market, “one of the most immersive environments that we’ve ever created,” and a buff, actor-turned-politician stallion named Mayor Wind Dancer. He also confirmed the return of fan favorites: “Chief Bogo will be back. Clawhauser. Gazelle. Mayor Bellwether. That naked yak. Judy’s 278 brothers and sisters. Mr. Big and his daughter Fru Fru. And of course, Flash.”
Footage shown at Annecy included the duo’s troubled undercover operation, their eccentric therapy sessions with Dr. Fuzzby, and a fast-paced chase involving Gary De’Snake. “Nick and Judy become fugitives, which puts a little strain on their relationship,” Bush said. “So how will they set things right?”
In describing the larger thematic arc, Bush emphasized, “Ultimately, our mismatched pair of a bunny and a fox shows us that even in a polarized world where our differences so often push us apart, sometimes just simply trying to understand each other and talk to each other can be the thing that allows us to mend our broken world together.”
As part of today’s presentation, Disney legendary director Ron Clements (“The Little Mermaid,” “Aladdin,” “The Princess and the Frog,” “Moana”) was inaugurated into Annecy’s Walk of Fame.
“This is so cool,” Clements said. “It’s such an honor to be memorialized this way. Unbelievable. So thank you. Thank you with all my heart. I am very, very appreciative.”
In addition to the honorific event, it was also revealed that Clements is returning to Walt Disney Studios Animation in an advisory role. “I really have been enjoying retirement,” he said, “but I’m excited about just returning to kind of mentor… There aren’t as many old people around as there used to be, and there certainly are so many young people who want to work in animation.”
Bush, who announced Clements’ return, said, “I’ve actually unretired a very important person here, Ron Clements, who’s coming back to the studio. Ron is one of the reasons that I do what I do… The legacy he helped build is the foundation we walk on.”
Ron Clements addressed this sense of legacy and purpose during a special conversation with Bush and Variety’s Peter Debruge. Recalling his own animation origin story, Clements said, “I was nine years old… and I saw a reissue of ‘Pinocchio’ in our local theater. I couldn’t get it out of my mind… I decided at that point that I wanted to be an animator, and I wanted to work for Walt Disney.”
Bush added that “The Jungle Book” and “The Little Mermaid” were his childhood inspirations. “Just wanting to be a part of that kind of storytelling legacy was really important,” he said. “To be honest, I never knew that it was possible to join Disney Animation… let alone run it. That was never even a dream I let myself have.”
Now at the helm of Disney Animation, Bush affirmed his priorities: “There are three things I believe define our path forward. First is joy and imagination… Second, this deep collaboration… And lastly, we are committed to always swinging for the fences.”
