The film stormed the China box office over its first weekend, collecting RMB 1.538 billion ($216.6 million) across the opening two days and surging to RMB 1.922 billion ($270.7 million) through Sunday, according to Artisan Gateway. With previews included, the estimated $272 million debut ranks as one of the most explosive in the market’s history.
Historic Milestones for an Imported Animation
The opening marks the sixth-highest of all time in China and the second-biggest for a non-local release behind Avengers: Endgame. It also sets a new benchmark as the highest animated opening ever in China for an imported film. After just five days, Zootopia 2 overtook the lifetime China total of the original Zootopia ($236 million) and became the highest-grossing non-local animated release in the market. The film is now the fourth-highest grossing animated movie ever released in China, local or foreign, boosted by the Shanghai Disneyland Zootopia Land that has fueled fan enthusiasm.
Single-Day Records and 2025 Highs
Day four delivered China’s ninth-highest single-day gross, and the largest for an MPA title, surpassing Avengers: Endgame. The performance also positions the sequel as the highest-grossing MPA opening of 2025 in the region.
Impact on Other Releases
Other releases were dwarfed by the Disney juggernaut. Aniplex’s Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Infinity Castle added $5.7 million to lift its total to $88 million, while Bi Gan’s Resurrection slid to third with $3.4 million in its second weekend, now standing at $25.1 million. Lionsgate’s Now You See Me: Now You Don’t added $1.3 million for a $37 million total, and Qiangdian Media’s My World Without Me launched with $1 million over two days, totaling $1.4 million.
Weekend Box Office Snapshot
China’s weekend box office hit $229.7 million, a massive leap from last weekend’s $44 million, pushing the 2025 year-to-date tally to $6.777 billion, up 19.8% from the same period in 2024.
What the Success Could Mean
With a $272 million China opening, Zootopia 2 has already surpassed the first film’s lifetime China gross ($236 million) and could become the highest-grossing Zootopia yet. It’s the largest opening ever for an imported animated film in China and on pace to challenge local hits like Ne Zha ($725 million) and Jiang Ziya ($585 million) for a top-four all-time animated gross.
Globally, the $556 million debut positions the sequel as 2025’s biggest animated launch and a potential top-10 all-time worldwide grosser. Early trends suggest the film could reset expectations for imported animation in China, though its long-term performance will depend on word-of-mouth and competition.