Why the 'Zootropolis' filmmakers aren't rushing to make a sequel (exclusive)

Zootropolis sequel could happen when the story is right
Zootropolis sequel could happen when the story is right

Zootropolis was a massive hit upon its release but the filmmakers are in no rush to make a sequel.

This might seem like a surprising attitude considering Hollywood’s fondness for turning round sequels quickly in order to capitalise on its success but that’s not the case for producer Clark Spencer.

Spencer tells Yahoo Movies UK that as much as he loves the Disney film, about a rabbit police officer teaming up with a fox conman to stop a conspiracy, he wouldn’t want to make a second film for the wrong reasons.

“You never know what the future can hold, it’s a film that I love more than life itself,” he says, “it was such an incredible project to work on and I remember when it originally got pitched by Rich Moore and by Byron Howard, it really was a thematic that I was excited to explore within animation: the idea of bias.


“So I have a deep love for it and love those characters, but when you finish a film, and I said this with Wreck-It Ralph 2, until someone comes up with the right idea I don’t think you should ever explore that.

“So it’s really up to Byron and to Rich to think about is there another story we can tell with those characters,” Spencer adds. “There’s an easy want to do it because it was a film that was successful but you should really do it for the right reasons.”

The producer’s latest film, Ralph Breaks the Internet, is a sequel to the 2012 movie Wreck-It Ralph so obviously they aren’t keen on rushing follow-ups unless the story is right.

Vanellope’s narrative was nearly a lot darker in Ralph Breaks the Internet
Vanellope’s narrative was nearly a lot darker in Ralph Breaks the Internet

Though when the concept for Wreck-It Ralph 2 was originally pitched there was a darker journey for Vanellope.

“In the very beginning we did want the story to be the concept of being caught up in the Internet,” Spencer told Yahoo Movies UK. “So there was a story told where Vanellope, being the younger character, actually get caught up in the ‘likes’ and she started to feel like that was giving her the affirmation she needed.”

“[But] Vanellope knows a lot about herself so for her to just get wooed into this world felt a little bit untrue to who she is as a character.”

Ralph Breaks the Internet is in cinemas this Friday

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