While enjoying a film from Walt Disney Animation usually takes us under two hours, these animated gems are actually the product of many years of collaboration. Ultimately, a lot of stuff lands on the cutting room floor, and some of it ends up being really interesting. For example, when it came to Zootopia 2 trying to answer why reptiles aren’t in the city of Zootopia, I was very curious what did and didn't make it into the movie, and this new deleted scene packed in some interesting tidbits.
Judy Hopps And Gary D’Snake Almost Met In A Completely Different Way
Thanks to Walt Disney Home Entertainment, we have a first look at one of Zootopia 2’s deleted scenes, and I have thoughts about it. While not fully fleshed out or filled in with color, it's pretty cool, and you can check it out below:
As the clip shows, when Zootopia 2 was in the storyboard phase of production, the filmmakers made Gary De’Snake’s introduction occur at Zootopia’s animal hospital, while Judy and Nick look to be on the run rather than at the Zootennial Gala. In the final version, they meet Gary while he’s trying to steal the journal that documents the creation of Zootopia and its climate zones at the glitzy event.
The scene definitely looks like it would have been fun, particularly given the whole comedic element of Gary De’Snake being injured and Judy Hopps accidentally stepping on a button. I also find it interesting that there’s also a completely different object from the gala that looks more like something out of an Indiana Jones movie. The short deleted scene definitely shows how much the movie’s story changed over time, though I have to say I definitely prefer the scene we ultimately got.
Still, is it just me or does Gary seem like he was a lot more aggressive, originally?
The scene goes to show that Disney didn’t just make a 4-star movie directly out of the gate; it took a lot of trial and error from the filmmaking team. What they ultimately landed on is a hilarious family-friendly sequel (with some unexpectedly mature themes) that also appeals to adults, as well.
Oh, and it became the highest-grossing animated movie ever, with it even ranking in the top five movies in theaters -- still-- this past weekend.
How You Can Watch More Zootopia 2 Bonus Features
This deleted scene is actually one of eight deleted scenes that are available to watch with the digital and Blu-ray release of Zootopia 2, which will each be introduced by directors Jared Bush and Byron Howard. That, plus, there’s quite a few other bonus features like a tour of Walt Disney Animation Studios, interviews with the voice actors, a walk-through about how to draw one of new characters, Nibbles, and a guide to a bunch of the references to other Disney movies in Zootopia 2.
If you're wanting to watch at home, the Digital version is currently ready to buy on Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, and Fandango at Home, while the 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and DVD physical versions will come out on March 3. We can also look forward to more from Walt Disney Animation among 2026 movie releases when Hexed comes out on November 25, 2026.
