Zootopia 3 is officially in early development, and birds are confirmed to be the next big addition to the world of Zootopia, picking up on the feather that landed on Judy Hopps’ windowsill in Zootopia 2’s post-credits scene. Jared Bush, Chief Creative Officer of Walt Disney Animation Studios, shared the news during the Disney Entertainment Showcase at D23 2026, which we covered live from inside the Honda Center that night.
Bush, who co-wrote the original Zootopia and wrote and directed Zootopia 2, screened an exclusive extended sequence for the crowd confirming birds will play a major role in the next film. He said the idea of bringing birds into the world has excited the creative team for years, and that’s going to be the fun surprise of this movie for longtime fans. New characters are joining the cast, though Bush was clear the returning favorites aren’t going anywhere.
Stars Ginnifer Goodwin and Ke Huy Quan joined Bush on stage for the reveal. Goodwin, who voices Judy Hopps, described watching her kids react to the announcement from the front row and admitted the moment nearly brought her to tears on stage. She’s already been sending the creative team ideas since finding out the sequel would center on birds. Quan, who voices the pit viper Gary, said he doesn’t know anything about his character’s arc yet but is eager to get back in the recording booth, and he’s hoping the film finds a way for birds and snakes, natural enemies in real life, to become friends in Zootopia’s world.
Producer Yvett Merino and Disney Animation President Clark Spencer both pointed to the same idea driving the franchise forward: the world of Zootopia was built to keep expanding. Spencer noted the first film didn’t include reptiles and this one is opening the door to birds, giving the story room to keep growing while staying anchored to Nick Wilde and Judy Hopps at its center. Director Byron Howard, who directed the first two films, said the new movie will keep exploring the predator-versus-prey tension that’s defined the series since the beginning, while expanding into new corners of the world audiences haven’t seen yet.
Zootopia 2 became one of the biggest animated films ever released, and Disney clearly isn’t wasting time capitalizing on that. Confirming a third film and previewing actual footage barely a year after the second one hit theaters is an aggressive pace, and betting the sequel’s hook on an entirely new animal class the franchise has never used before is a bigger creative swing than just bringing back what already worked.
