Zootopia 2's New Characters Prove One Thing About The Future Of The Series

This article contains minor spoilers for "Zootopia 2."

It's hard to pull off a successful sequel, and doing it when the first film is praised as a stone-cold classic is practically a magic trick. And yet, somehow, despite having a vault's worth of downright iconic works of film, the House of Mouse has delivered some legitimately wonderful sequels. While the average critic will tell you Disney Animation is on a downswing (the "Wish" defender has logged on), the love pouring in for "Zootopia 2" says otherwise. If anything, it's a wildly encouraging sign for the future of Disney Animation to deliver a sequel film this excellent, especially as the industry at large looks to prioritize sequels, remakes, and franchises. There isn't anything inherently wrong with franchise films or remakes, but we've all felt the sting of a movie that exists solely to squeeze the last drop out of a cash cow. Thankfully, "Zootopia 2" is a film that actually has something to say, but more importantly, it proves that there are plenty more stories to tell in this bustling anthropomorphic society of adorable critters, creatures, and crawlies.

While the Disney+ mini-anthology series "Zootopia+" gives viewers a sample of the potential stories to be told in the city of Zootopia, "Zootopia 2" takes things even further by establishing new neighborhoods, new characters, and new ways of life for the inhabitants of Zootopia and the surrounding area. And although nothing can quite replicate the lightning-in-a-bottle brilliance of Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman) and Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin), the movie introduces a whole crop of newcomers who could easily become future fan favorites. And no, we're not just talking about Ke Huy Quan's scene-stealing Gary De'Snake — though he's definitely slithering his way into the spotlight.

Throughout Nick and Judy's adventures in "Zootopia 2," they visit a neighborhood called Marsh Market, a fish market (fish are friends, but they are sometimes food as well, apparently) that also harbors a speakeasy for reptiles. Soaked in red from the glow of heat lamps above the bar, pool tables, dance floor, and performance stage, this place looks wildly different from anything else we've seen in Zootopia, and there's so much more to explore with these creatures. There are small moments — like a tail falling off via caudal autotomy and shedding a shell of skin — that highlight the different ways of life of the reptiles compared to the mammals of Zootopia, but the main attraction of the reptiles is how different they are in attitude.

A frilled basilisk lizard named Jesús (Danny Trejo) is propped up as one of the regular leaders of the reptiles, but we haven't gotten the chance to see him on an average day just being a lizard. A "Cheers"-esque series focused on the reptiles and how they run the speakeasy would be a license to print money and could serve as the show for "Zootopia" fans to watch as they age out of the films and seek something a little more mature. Could you imagine someone like Clawhauser (Nate Torrance) getting hustled by pool sharks on his first visit? Not to mention, there's an entire new reptile neighborhood uncovered under the snow of Tundratown. I just love these scaly little guys, and I know there are plenty of great stories waiting for their time in the sun.

Some of the strongest moments and funniest Easter eggs in the "Zootopia" movies are the ones that directly parallel (and pun on) our own recognizable world. This is why, after seeing Dr. Fuzzby (Quinta Brunson) lead group therapy in "Zootopia 2," I am on my hands and knees begging Disney to give her a therapy talk show. A series that crosses "Maury" with "Sally Jessy Raphael," "Dr. Phil" (but ethical), and "The Drew Barrymore Show," following Dr. Fuzzby as she helps Zootopians with their problems, would be an absolute joy and a great testing ground for new characters for audiences to get to know and love. Established fan favorites could and should make appearances, too, and based on the "Zootopia+" episode "The Real Rodents of Little Rodentia," Disney has already proven it can replicate the look of reality TV. Brunson might be too busy single-handedly saving broadcast cable sitcoms with "Abbott Elementary," but a girl can dream.

I'm also dreaming of what a Nibbles Maplestick (Fortune Feimster) podcast would look like with a little higher production value. Seeing as she helps save the city of Zootopia, hopefully that honor will provide her with the financial support to record her show in a proper studio. Let her interview the marine mammals of Marsh Market on her podcast! Let her interview animals who have never interacted with a marine mammal and are straight up terrified of her! Treat it like Lily Moskowitz's "Shut Up and Listen" cable access show from "The Princess Diaries," but starring Nibbles! The further franchisification of "Zootopia" is inevitable, so let's have some fun with it! Oh, and give Russ the Walrus more time to shine. He rocks.

"Zootopia 2" is now playing in theaters.