Zootopia 3 will expand the horizons of Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde
The rabbit and the fox should leave the borders of Zootopia city for the first time. Jared Bush, the creative boss of Disney Animation, also promises the arrival of new species…
Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde haven’t finished exploring their world.
While Disney has already confirmed the preparation of Zootopia 3the creative boss of Walt Disney Animation Studios, Jared Bush, has just given some clues on the direction taken by this third part. And the two heroes could well step outside their usual playing field.
Asked by Collider During the SCAD Savannah Film Festival, the filmmaker confirmed that Judy and Nick would remain central to the story. But he also hinted that the duo might leave the confines of Zootopia City for the first time:
“I think this may be the first time we’ll travel beyond the borders of Zootopia City itself.“
Another new feature announced: the arrival of birds in this universe populated by anthropomorphic animals. A development that creators have been considering for a long time:
“From the first Zootopia, Byron (Howard) and I took great pleasure in working on this universe. After a year, we said we wanted to stay there and tell all kinds of stories. The idea of one day introducing reptiles (like in Zootopia 2) then birds, these are conversations that we already had fifteen years ago.”
The third film could therefore open up new perspectives, with new species and still unexplored territories.
The head of Disney Animation, however, insists on the time needed to find the right story: “This is something that will take a lot of time to do well.“, he specifies, before reminding that the studio’s schedule can evolve depending on the progress of the projects and the performance of the films that precede them:
“I know what films are planned, but their order may change. We have obviously already announced that we are working on Zootopia 3. It could be released on different dates, depending on the progress of the film, the results of the productions surrounding it and the situation in our industry.”
Disney Animation operates with a ten-year vision, but not all projects are planned with the same degree of precision: “For the first five years, I know the films we are going to make very well. For the next five, I especially need to know where we are heading. Our films take four to six years to make, so you have to have an idea of what the sequel will be.“
This visibility is also essential for teams. Bush explains that the studio must allow its artists to project themselves into future productions and choose the projects in which they wish to participate: “There will inevitably be people who want to work on Zootopia 3. So much the better! We need to be able to tell them when it will be possible, so they can organize their lives. Having an idea of a schedule and being able to communicate it to the entire studio is essential.“
Zootopia 3 does not yet have an official release date.
