Disney Animation chief Jared Bush has shared new details about Zootopia 3, confirming plans to introduce birds and teasing a possible trip outside Zootopia City.
Speaking with Collider, Bush discussed the next installment and explained that Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde will remain at the center of the franchise as its world expands.
“This is something that is going to take a lot of time to get right. I think with any movie set in the world of Zootopia, Judy and Nick are going to be at the very center of that,” Bush said. “I think people know at this point that we are going to introduce birds into the world of Zootopia, and I think this may be the first time that we travel outside the bounds of Zootopia City itself.”
Bush didn’t reveal which bird species or new characters would appear. He also stopped short of confirming that the story will leave the city, describing that as a possibility.
The expansion has been under consideration since production on the original movie. According to Bush, he and fellow director Byron Howard began discussing additional stories and new animal groups well before the first film reached theaters.
“The honest answer is that on the very first Zootopia, Byron [Howard] and I had a great time, and a year in, we said, ‘We want to stay in this world and tell all kinds of stories,’” he recalled. “So, the idea that one day you'd introduce reptiles or one day you'd introduce birds are conversations we had 15 years ago.”
The franchise has since become a major box office success for Disney. Released in 2016, the original Zootopia earned approximately $1.02 billion worldwide. Zootopia 2 followed in 2025 with roughly $1.87 billion globally, bringing the two films’ combined theatrical earnings to nearly $2.9 billion.
Asked whether that success could move a third movie up Disney Animation’s release schedule, Bush emphasized that the filmmakers need time to develop the story.
“Here's something that I've found, being at Disney Animation. When a movie is ready, that's when it goes out into the world,” he explained.
Bush said the studio considers several factors when planning its slate, including the balance between musicals and nonmusicals, originals and sequels. However, those scheduling discussions don’t replace the process of reviewing and refining each movie until the team believes it is ready.
“But honestly, it's when something is ready, and when we all feel that it is great," he said.
Bush did not provide a release date during the interview or announce additional casting. Plot details also remain under wraps beyond the introduction of birds, Judy and Nick’s continued involvement, and the possibility of exploring the world outside Zootopia City.