Disney’s Zootopia 2 has arrived in theaters! We haven’t seen this movie series since our childhood in 2016, so seeing that we’re receiving another one is bringing pure nostalgia to our eyes.  This long-awaited sequel has finally hit the screen and has even broken records at the cinema’s box office. The Disney movie hit the insane record of the greatest animated movie opening weekend, bringing in over $1 billion in just one weekend. It is stated by “Rotten Tomatoes” that Zootopia 2 became the “highest-grossing American film of the year.” But how did they hit this record in such a short amount of time?  Its storyline has seemed appealing to audiences of all ages, from toddlers in awe over the scene of animals speaking, to us teenagers experiencing the nostalgia of seeing the sequel to a movie from our childhoods. 

In Zootopia 2, we return to the animal world that Nick Wilde and Judy Hopps call home. But instead of solely focusing on the main character’s friendship dynamic, a new friend has slithered his way in. Gary the snake caught the attention of Wilde and Hopps after sneaking into their city of Zootopia, where reptiles are banned from living. Though Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde assumed that Gary was an evil animal, as all reptiles were assumed to be, it was later revealed that Gary had no bad intentions whatsoever. The film follows the journey of Hopps and Wilde as they journey to protect Gary the snake from being abandoned by their reptile-hating community. But how did this children’s movie become such a big deal for audience members across the globe, regardless of their age?

One of the main reasons that Zootopia 2 was such a hit was due to the nostalgia that it brought to teenagers who adored the movie when the first one came out. To give us insight into what the experience of reliving a childhood movie series was like, I interviewed sophomore Abigail Montenegro on what it was like for her to see the new film. 

To begin the interview, I asked Montenegro what motivated her to go see the new Disney film. She responded by saying that Zootopia 1 was a movie that she enjoyed in her childhood, so once she heard that another was coming out, the excitement that she felt was enough for her and her family to “make the movie ticket purchase.” The awaited release of Zootopia 2 has attracted teenagers across the world to visit the movies with their families, as the original movie played a big role in everyone’s childhood. 

Continuing with the interview, I then asked her what the message of the movie was, as I wanted to figure out why this movie was also responsible for breaking records at the box office. Montenegro explained that the movie’s goal was to send the message of “loyalty,” and it also wanted to shine a light on the idea that “Just because you’re seen as an outsider, doesn’t mean you don’t belong.” After receiving this response from Montenegro, I realized that this movie didn’t just become so popular due to its nostalgia; its popularity came from its message that shows everyone that there is no reason to feel ashamed of who they are. The film told people of all ages to continue being themselves, and it’s even better if your true self makes you stand out. This message that it spoke not only made people feel like children again, but it also made them feel happy and proud of who they are, regardless of their traits.