Disney’s Zootopia (2016) sprints beyond cute animals into a sharp, funny fable about bias and belonging. Directed by Byron Howard and Rich Moore (co-director Jared Bush), it pairs idealistic rookie cop Judy Hopps with hustler Nick Wilde for a noir-tinged missing-mammals case that cracks open the city’s polished façade.
The film dazzles with worldbuilding—tiny rodent districts, arctic metros, jungle skyways—while delivering whip-smart gags (sloths at the DMV!) and character work that grows from suspicion to genuine friendship. Under the fur and furor is a resonant message: systems can stereotype, fear can be weaponized, and empathy is a choice.
Winner of the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, Zootopia remains a high-water mark for modern Disney—genre entertainment that entertains kids, challenges adults, and leaves everyone humming “Try Everything” on the way out.
