Disney’s “Zootopia 2” has roared to a historic launch in China, collecting about 1.95 billion yuan ($275 million) in its first six days and setting a new record for imported animated films in the country, according to box office tracker Maoyan. The performance gives Hollywood a rare breakout hit in a market where U.S. movies have struggled in recent years.
Over its first five days the sequel earned about $272 million, including roughly $104 million on Saturday alone, overtaking “Avengers: Endgame” for the strongest single-day haul by a foreign title, industry data show. Local ticketing platforms report 48.5 million admissions in that stretch and a weekend market share near 95 percent, signaling near-total dominance of Chinese cinemas during its opening frame.
China now accounts for nearly half of “Zootopia 2”’s estimated $556 million worldwide opening, the biggest global launch recorded for an animated feature and the fourth-largest debut for any film, according to early estimates cited by AP and studio tracking. The film also delivered about $156 million across the extended Thanksgiving frame in North America, giving Disney a badly needed hit at home while underlining how central China is to the project’s commercial ceiling.
Analysts in China and overseas link the result to a mix of brand loyalty and careful local positioning. The original 2016 film earned about $236 million in China and has remained a favorite on streaming services. Disney deepened that bond with a Zootopia-themed land at Shanghai Disneyland, which opened in 2023, and a dense merchandising campaign; the company plans over 2,000 related products this year on the mainland. The studio also staged a Shanghai premiere attended by CEO Bob Iger and ran promotions with airlines and consumer brands.
Local commentators say the sequel’s emphasis on social order, community life and personal resilience connects strongly with Chinese family audiences, while the return of Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde gives parents confidence in a familiar choice for children.
Yet industry experts warn against reading the weekend as a straightforward revival for Hollywood in China. Imports still face quotas, shifting approval patterns and fierce competition from national blockbusters, and many studio tentpoles in the last two years fell short of past highs. Several analysts quoted in Chinese and international media describe “Zootopia 2” as an outlier powered by a long-nurtured brand rather than a signal that every U.S. release can reclaim its former reach.
