‘Zootopia 2’ surpasses ‘Avengers Endgame’ record in China, eyes $525 million global run

Disney's "Zootopia 2" has broken a major box-office record in China, overtaking the single-day earnings benchmark previously held by "Avengers: Endgame". The animated sequel earned $104 million from ticket sales in just one day, marking the strongest opening for a US film in the market since 2021, according to Deadline.

The film, directed by Jared Bush, is now on track to collect an estimated $525 million or more worldwide by Sunday (November 30).

The return of Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde has resonated strongly with Chinese audiences. "Zootopia 2" has become the country's biggest studio release of the year and, in local currency, surpassed "Avengers: Endgame" for the highest single-day gross for a Hollywood title. Saturday's turnout rose an astonishing 160% from Friday.

For comparison, "Avengers: Endgame" opened with $100 million on its first day in China.

Across Europe, the film topped Friday debuts in all regions except the UK, where "Wicked: For Good" continues to lead. It also achieved the highest animation opening day of 2025 and the third-highest opening day in Walt Disney Animation Studios' history, behind "Frozen 2" and "Moana".

Co-directors Jared Bush and Byron Howard told Variety that "Zootopia 2" pays homage to classic horror films such as "The Shining" and "The Silence of the Lambs".

Bush said, "We had this idea of these lynxes as villains, and it made sense to put them in a grand manor with a giant maze behind it." He also praised Michael Giacchino's score: "He took that theme that's so famous, and the moment you hear it, you know exactly where you're at."

"Zootopia 2" premiered at the El Capitan Theatre in Los Angeles on 13 November 2025 before its US release on 26 November. A sequel to 2016's "Zootopia", the film features Ginnifer Goodwin, Jason Bateman, Shakira, Idris Elba, Alan Tudyk, Nate Torrence, Don Lake, Bonnie Hunt and Jenny Slate.

The story sees Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde going undercover to track down Gary De'Snake, a new and enigmatic resident of the city.