The opening moments of Zootopia 2 almost looked very different.

In a deleted scene from the film, which Entertainment Weekly can exclusively reveal above, co-directors Jared Bush and Byron Howard explain the change before showing the original beginning.

“In the final film, we open up our movie by looking back at where we left off with Judy and Nick in the first film,” Bush explains. “But in this early version, we began on a boat with a band of smuggling schemers being paid to bring something to town. The twist is that what they were smuggling in was actually a mysterious snake.”

Bush continues, “Ultimately, that scene did not fit within the overall structure of our film, but it was really fun to explore, and we are now excited to share it with you.”

Jared Bush and Byron Howard attend the world premiere of ‘Zootopia 2’ on Nov. 13, 2025.

Jesse Grant/Getty

The deleted scene begins in a foggy night at sea, on a massive ship helmed by various rodents.

One is reading a newspaper with articles about the upcoming 200th Zootennial Celebration and a headline reading, “How the Founding Families Created Four Seasons in One City,” all of which foreshadow later moments in the final film.

This rodent receives a text message with a strange symbol, prompting him to ask, “Is it all there?” He then opens up a briefcase to find smaller rodents swimming in cash, who inform him that they counted all the money twice. It’s all very ominous until they start throwing a little rodent party to celebrate all of their new wealth.

Gary De’Snake, Nick Wilde, Judy Hopps, and Nibbles Maplestick are on the case in ‘Zootopia 2’.

DISNEY

Unbeknownst to them, while they’re celebrating, a mysterious figure clad in all black has knocked one of the shipping containers off the ship and into the water. On shore, the figure opens the container to reveal a snake, and the two jet off together, presumably toward the Zootennial gala.

The clip is one of several deleted scenes and bonus features that fans can enjoy on the digital and physical release of the film. Zootopia 2 arrives Jan. 27 on Digital platforms, including Prime Video, Apple TV, and Fandango at Home. The im-paw-fect partners’ undercover escapades continue with the film’s arrival on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and DVD on March 3.

Ultimately, as the directors alluded to, Zootopia 2 actually picks up right where the first film left off: With bunny Judy (Ginnifer Goodwin) and fox Nick (Jason Bateman) still getting used to being partners in the Zootopia Police Department (ZPD). Their new partnership is put to the ultimate test when they find themselves on the twisting trail of a mystery tied to the arrival of a venomous snake in the animal metropolis.

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Like its predecessor, Zootopia 2 could not be tamed at the box office. In addition to overwhelmingly positive reviews from critics, the film grossed $1.657 billion worldwide, making it the third-highest-grossing animated film, the second-highest-grossing film of 2025, and the eleventh-highest-grossing film of all time. It’s also been nominated for Best Animated Feature at the 2026 Oscars.