Disney's Zootopia 2 Becomes Third Movie of 2025 to Make Over $1 Billion at the Box Office

Disney’s Zootopia 2 has reached $1.13bn worldwide after three weekends — $259m domestic and $877.7m international, led by China — overtaking Lilo & Stitch ($1.03bn) to become 2025’s top Hollywood release and the third film this year to clear $1bn, though it still trails China’s Ne Zha 2 at $1.9bn. The hit underscores the strategic importance of international markets and bolsters Disney’s roster of billion-dollar franchises (its fifth since 2013), while other box-office notes include Blumhouse’s cost-efficient Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 ($174m on a reported $36m budget), Wicked: For Good ($468m), Now You See Me, Now You Don't ($214m), The Running Man ($68m) and the low-opening Ella McKay ($2.1m). Looking ahead, James Cameron’s Avatar: Fire and Ash is the next major release for Disney, which is reportedly using multiple trailer variants to drive repeat theatrical attendance.

Analysis

Disney's Zootopia 2 reached $1.13 billion worldwide after three weekends, with $259 million domestic and $877.7 million international receipts led by China. The film has overtaken Lilo & Stitch ($1.03 billion) to become the highest-grossing Hollywood release of 2025 so far and is the third film this year to clear $1 billion, though it remains well behind China’s Ne Zha 2 at $1.9 billion.

This is Disney's fifth billion-dollar release since 2013 (Frozen, Frozen 2, Moana 2, Zootopia and Zootopia 2), which underscores the company’s franchise monetization and the outsized importance of international markets to theatrical revenue. The article flags Avatar: Fire and Ash as the next major Disney tentpole and cites multi-trailer promotional tactics intended to drive repeat attendance, indicating continued reliance on heavy marketing to maximize box-office returns.

Box-office outcomes this season show divergent economics: Blumhouse’s Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 has generated $174 million after two weekends on a reported $36 million budget, demonstrating high ROI potential for low-cost horror, while other films display mixed performance (Wicked: For Good $468 million, Now You See Me, Now You Don't $214 million, Ella McKay $2.1 million opening). Key risks are concentration in China for international revenue, variability in opening-weekend trajectories, and promotional spend that can compress margins or shift return timing.

Key Decisions for Investors

• Consider maintaining or modestly increasing exposure to DIS given Zootopia 2's $1.13 billion box office and the company's demonstrated franchise monetization, while sizing positions to account for theatrical volatility
• Monitor China box office and weekly international grosses closely and set triggers to reassess revenue assumptions if weekend declines accelerate from current levels
• Use options or other downside protection ahead of Avatar: Fire and Ash and other tentpole releases to limit short-term event risk tied to promotional spend and opening-week variability
• Evaluate selective exposure to low-budget/high-ROI studios or projects (Blumhouse-style) for asymmetric upside, but avoid assuming critical reception reliably predicts box-office outcomes