Zootopia, the movie, proved to be a massive success for Disney when it was released back in 2016. The animated film, which centered on a rookie bunny cop and a cynical con artist fox, earned an impressive $1.024 billion at the worldwide box office during its theatrical run. Yet, despite its massive success, Disney has not officially given the greenlight to a Zootopia sequel. Instead, the studio opted to develop a series for Disney+ centered on some of the film’s most notable characters. The series delves deeper into events from the film, giving movie fans more time to enjoy these key moments, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s great.
Like another Disney+ series, I Am Groot, there’s truly no real reason for Zootopia+ to exist. While the directors have previously teased wanting to explore the world further, the episodes are just too short to really be of note. There’s nothing of substance to the series, which is understandable – with six episodes, the longest of which is 8 minutes, it’s hard to really tell much story wise. That isn’t to say fans of the film – and families – won’t devour this series.
The six episodes often feel like deleted scenes that the directors wanted to revisit in one for or another. Some are hilariously enjoyable – namely “The Real Rodents of Little Rodentia” and “Dinner Rush” – while others lack charm. The animation is fantastic, and the voice acting is stellar, per usual. The problem, though, is that despite their short length, most of these shorts feel incredibly long. These could have easily been added to a Blu-Ray or DVD release.
Zootopia+ is far from a necessary watch, and there’s a good chance it’s arriving too late, but for a quick watch? It’s enjoyable. Children will certainly love every moment of this series, especially the musical number in “Duke the Musical,” and there’s something for adults planted throughout each short. Like the film, the humor straddles the line perfectly between adult and family friendly. Had the shorts been given a bit more time to breathe, Zootopia+ could’ve been a home run, in its current state, though, it feels underdeveloped.
Overall: Disney expands upon the excellent Zootopia with a series that, while not necessary, is sure to delight audiences of all ages.
