Zootopia 2: China’s Box Office Sensation You Didn’t See Coming

From record-breaking earnings to pet-friendly screenings 🐶🐱

The movie Zootopia 2 didn’t make much of a splash in the West—we haven’t even seen it ourselves. But did you know that in China, it became the highest-grossing imported film in Chinese box office history?

The hype reached another level when some theaters allowed pet owners to watch the movie alongside their furry friends! These adorable scenes quickly went viral, not only across Chinese social media but also internationally.

Let’s take a closer look at what made Zootopia 2 the movie of the year in China.

11月29日，《疯狂动物城2》在内地单日总票房超7.38亿元人民币，超越北美单日票房成绩，大幅刷新此前《复仇者联盟4》5.52亿元人民币的单日票房纪录，成为内地影史进口片的单日票房冠军。11月30日，影片内地单日票房5.17亿元人民币，同样超过了北美单日票房成绩。

• 内地 (nèidì): mainland (China)

• 总票房 (zǒng piàofáng): total box office

• 大幅 (dàfú): significantly; substantially

• 刷新 (shuāxīn): to break (a record); to set a new record

• 冠军 (guànjūn): champion; highest-grossing

On November 29, Zootopia 2 grossed over 738 million RMB in a single day in mainland China, surpassing North America’s daily box office and breaking the previous record of 552 million RMB held by Avengers: Endgame, becoming the highest single-day grossing imported film in Chinese box office history. On November 30, the film earned 517 million RMB in China in a single day, again exceeding the North American market’s performance.

在《疯狂动物城2》电影火爆之际，其院线的排片率也在不断攀升，截至11月30日，《疯狂动物城2》的院线排片率已达83.3%，同时《疯狂动物城2》也为当日大盘票房贡献了近95%的票房收入。这一现象表明，如今的中国市场成熟、开放、包容、友好，已经成为全球优质电影倚重的重要票仓。

• 火爆 (huǒbào): booming; extremely popular

• 之际 (zhī jì): at the time of; during

• 院线 (yuànxiàn): cinema chain; theater circuit

• 排片率 (páipiàn lǜ): screening rate; percentage of showings scheduled

• 攀升 (pānshēng): to rise; to soar

• 截至 (jiézhì): as of; by (a certain date)

• 大盘票房 (dàpán piàofáng): total box office (overall market)

• 成熟 (chéngshú): mature; developed

• 包容 (bāoróng): inclusive; tolerant

• 优质 (yōuzhì): high-quality

• 倚重 (yǐzhòng): to rely on; to place importance on

• 票仓 (piàocāng): box office stronghold; key revenue source

As Zootopia 2 continues to boom, its share of theater screenings has also been climbing. As of November 30, the film accounted for 83.3% of all showtimes, contributing nearly 95% of the day’s total box office revenue. This phenomenon shows that today’s Chinese film market is mature, open, inclusive, and welcoming, and has become an essential box office stronghold for high-quality films worldwide.

上映前，《疯狂动物城2》凭借一组特殊的系列短片在社交网络引发关注。这组短片由上海美术电影制片厂与迪士尼中国携手推出，由四位中国动画导演创作，巧妙运用中国传统美术动画技法，呈现出了风格迥异又充满创意的“动物城”新篇章。

• 上映前 (shàngyìng qián): before release (of a film)

• 凭借 (píngjiè): to rely on; by means of

• 携手 (xiéshǒu): to join hands; to cooperate

• 创作 (chuàngzuò): to create; creation

• 巧妙 (qiǎomiào): clever; ingenious

• 运用 (yùnyòng): to apply; to make use of

• 动画技法 (dònghuà jìfǎ): animation techniques

• 风格迥异 (fēnggé jiǒngyì): stylistically different; distinct in style

• 充满创意 (chōngmǎn chuàngyì): full of creativity

• 篇章 (piānzhāng): chapter; section (figuratively used for “new chapter” in a story)

Before its release, Zootopia 2 attracted attention on social media with a special series of short films. Jointly produced by the Shanghai Animation Film Studio and Disney China, the four shorts were created by Chinese animation directors who skillfully incorporated traditional Chinese animation techniques to present imaginative and stylistically diverse new chapters of “Zootopia.”

上美影制作的这一系列短片在上线以后受到网友的好评与关注，为电影《疯狂动物城2》的上映起到了有效的宣传推广作用。同时，这种合作也表明了世界同行对中国电影产业的认可和重视。

• 上美影 (Shàngměiyǐng): Shanghai Animation Film Studio

• 上映 (shàngyìng): release (of a film)

• 起到 (qǐdào): to play a role; to achieve

• 宣传推广 (xuānchuán tuīguǎng): publicity and promotion

• 世界同行 (shìjiè tóngháng): peers in the global industry

• 认可 (rènkě): recognition; approval

• 重视 (zhòngshì): to attach importance to; to value highly

Since their release, the shorts produced by Shanghai Animation Film Studio have received praise and attention online, effectively promoting the release of Zootopia 2. This collaboration also demonstrates the recognition and respect that international filmmakers have for China’s film industry.

But that’s not all! Some Chinese theaters even let moviegoers watch the film alongside their beloved pets!

早在 2023 年，国内大型连锁影院万达影城就曾推出过专属的宠物观影场。宠物主人需出示相关证明文件，且每场观影结束后影院都会进行全面的清洁与消毒工作。同年，影院还推出过 “萌宠观影约会” 活动，铲屎官们可带狗狗观看中文版《忠犬八公》，这部影片讲述了小狗在主人离世后依旧执着等待主人归来的温情故事。

• 早在 (zǎozài): as early as; back in

• 连锁影院 (liánsuǒ yǐngyuàn): chain cinema; cinema chain

• 万达影城 (Wàndá Yǐngchéng): Wanda Cinemas

• 专属 (zhuānshǔ): exclusive

• 观影场 (guānyǐng chǎng): movie screening session (for watching films)

• 萌宠 (méngchǒng): cute pet

• 铲屎官 (chǎnshǐ guān): dog owner (literally “poop scooper,” playful internet slang)

• 忠犬八公 (Zhōngquǎn Bāgōng): Hachiko (the loyal dog)

• 讲述 (jiǎngshù): to tell; to narrate

• 离世 (líshì): to pass away; to die

• 依旧 (yījiù): still; as before

• 执着 (zhízhuó): persistent; dedicated

• 归来 (guīlái): to return

As early as 2023, Wanda Cinemas, a major theater chain in China, launched special pet-friendly screenings. Pet owners were required to present relevant documentation, and the cinema carried out thorough cleaning and disinfection after each session. That same year, the chain also introduced a “Cute Pet Movie Date” event, where owners could bring their dogs to watch the Chinese version of Hachiko, a film telling the heartwarming story of a dog who continues waiting for his owner even after the owner passes away.

当中国观众带着自家狗狗在影院里一同观看《疯狂动物城2》的画面被传到海外社交平台后，迅速在国外宠物爱好者群体中引发“羡慕潮”，直呼太酷了。

有国外观众表示，看看他们所有的狗都训练得很好，如果是美国，那就全是比特犬和凶猛的狗在打架了。

• 自家 (zìjiā): one’s own; home

• 一同 (yītóng): together; jointly

• 群体 (qúntǐ): group; community

• 羡慕潮 (xiànmù cháo): wave of envy; trend of admiration

• 直呼 (zhí hū): to exclaim directly; to shout out

• 比特犬 (Bǐtè quǎn): pit bull

• 凶猛 (xiōngměng): fierce; aggressive

• 打架 (dǎjià): to fight; to quarrel

When footage of Chinese moviegoers watching Zootopia 2 in theaters together with their pet dogs spread on overseas social media, it quickly sparked a wave of envy among foreign pet lovers, who called it “so cool.”

ome foreign viewers commented that all the dogs in China seemed very well trained, adding that if this happened in the U.S., the theater would be full of pit bulls and aggressive dogs fighting each other.

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