Kaiketsu Zorori Movie: ZZ no Himitsu Movie Anime Trailer

Here’s what I want from a Zootopia sequel (Spoiler-free, mostly)

So, I saw Zootopia on Friday, big screen, in 3D, big expensive treat to myself, and totally worth it. Fantastic film, so creative and well directed. I need to sing its praises before I get to my point. It is honestly a huge movie, with such a rich world that has so much to offer. This movie found its home in a great plotline  about prejudice and preconceptions. Now, let’s talk about how it could be expanded in future installments.

1. More new characters- This might not be the route Disney takes, with such success with their leads, but it’s my opinion that a follow-up ought to be about someone else in this big, big world they’ve created. Judy and Nick’s story is acceptably satisfying, there is a desire to see more about them, and explore more within them, introspectively, but I would be lying if I said I would like another movie about the buddy-cop duo. I may be crucified for saying that, but in such a huge world, there’s more stories to tell.

2. More social commentary- Anthropomorphic animals are traditional allegorical tools. There’s something more potent about a moral or injustice when its portrayed by talking critters than attempting to do the same with human characters. It was true for Aesop, and it’ll remain true. I don’t mean to let the social commentary rule the story, but if it comes from a place of realism and resonance, it will definitely make the story better.

3. Where are the others?- This is my biggest scruple with the movie, though I understand why it was done this way.  Zootopia is lacking in a major majority of its ecological diversity. There are no birds, bugs, or reptiles shown in the entire film. Specifically this is to serve the story in it being about the predator/prey dynamic of mammals. This does not necessarily mean that birds, bugs, and reptiles don’t exist within this world, or that they aren’t as sentient as the mammals are shown. In a new movie, the predator/prey dynamic would not have to be such a focus, so the plot could acknowledge the existence of these other animals I think.

And I have an idea as to how- a theory, if you will. Or perhaps more of a headcanon. Birds, Bugs, and Reptiles have their own separate Kingdoms, separate from the mammal-centered Zootopia. Their own nations and cities and cultures all their own.

This idea, of the four Kingdoms of animals- mammals, birds, bugs, and reptiles is a prime setup for a new story, not to mention bountiful and exciting opportunities for world building. What are these different cultures like? How do they differ from the established Zootopian culture? Do they clash? What would happen if we took someone from the familiar (Western) culture of Zootopia and threw them into these other places? Just imagine: this would allow an exploration of culture shock, culture bigotry, superiority, imperialism. It’s a gold mine for relevant social commentary as well. I can just imagine the direction, a sheltered Zootopian meets one of these “strange creatures” and they’re startling and alien upon first interaction.

I want to see the society of the birds, the society of the reptiles, the society of the insects.

There’s already a few plotlines I’ve come up with just speculating on this broad idea:

An enthusiastic mammal that is fascinated by biology, bookish and scientific, plots a trip to the faraway Kingdoms beyond Zootopia to learn about these “strange beasts” called birds, bugs, and reptiles.

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A member of the foreign Kingdoms comes to Zootopia and is received as an oddity, their personhood is questioned.

Anyway, back to my list of things I’d like to see in a sequel:

4. More culture- I want to see more about how Zootopian culture works. I want to see media, religion, education, even bureaucracy. Show me politics, show me holidays and business, show me art and academia and ideology. The potential is massive, and I want to be entranced by an even more immersive world.

I’m curious. What would other folks would want out of a sequel?

(via https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBDjqUveSTE)

I like the look of this. I was excited before, but now I’m sure it’ll be a lot of fun.