Zootopia+ brings fans back to their favorite metropolis. In this interview filmmakers discuss coming back to the world and why they chose these stories.
During this interview with Zootopia+ filmmakers and some of the voice cast, they discuss coming back to the world of the 2016 film. This series is made up of six shorts that all tell a different story. The cool thing about these stories is that they run parallel to the movie, offering a new perspective.
Were These Stories Ever Considered For The Zootopia Film?
Each of the six Zootopia+ episodes runs parallel to the film. That is a part of what makes them so interesting. They truly could have been a part of the original story. So was that ever up for consideration? Were these stories ever going to be a part of Zootopia? The short answer is no. The focus of the film was always on Judy and Nick, and so these shorts were never even in the minds of the filmmakers.
Director Josie Trinidad confesses, “It was difficult enough to craft that main story. The original Zootopia evolved so much. But we knew these were great characters that you would want to see again. And that’s when we knew how amazing these this world was, because there was a wealth of material that you wanted to explore.” She goes on to say that she loved working on Zootopia+ so much because everyone, the entire crew, was excited to continue the journey and were pitching ideas for stories on all of the characters they should and could follow.
Director Trent Correy adds that for him, it was going back to the places of Zootopia, and not just revisiting the characters. “Little Rodentia, and going back to those areas you saw in the film, saying, I want to see more of Mr. Biggs house, or I want to see more of the DMV. So it was those questions. That world-building is so incredible, it was just wanting to go back to that moment.”
What Was It Like Coming Back To Zootopia?
The filmmakers all agree that it felt like working on the film was harder than the series. The shorts are all so bite-sized and self-contained that they were fun to make, and the team could just go to town with each genre.
Don Lake, the voice of Stu Hopps, says that his favorite thing about coming back was getting to work with Bonnie again. “We’ve known each other for so long. We’re such a dear friends that we can finish each other sentences. And we don’t have to say anything, we just go down that road, and we just explore and have fun.” He says he also loved that Trent and Josie, and Nathan just gave them a green light to do whatever they wanted to in the recording booth. “Have fun, just have fun, go explore. And then they’ll throw in little kernels. Have fun with this, take a nibble at that, and then we’ll just run with it. But when you’re allowed that freedom, it’s a privilege, and we certainly appreciate it and want to make the most of it.” He says it felt like he was there to play, not work, and that it was a treat.
Bonnie Hunt agrees, saying, “When you’re working with talent like Nathan, Josie, and Trent you’re just so lucky because you know that you’ve got the safety net of good story, good intentions, and quality of character.” In the short titled Hopp on Board, her character Bonnie Hopps is a bit of an action hero, and she says that she thinks every parent is an action hero. “I don’t have any of my own children, but I have 15 nieces and nephews. And if one of the one-year-olds gets too close to the top of the steps, I’ve seen my sisters turn into action heroes faster than they’ve ever moved.” She says it’s fun to play something that is intelligent and full of humor, so she was happy to be back.
NEXT: Zootopia+ Review: Brings Fans Back To Zootopia
About Zootopia+
“Zootopia+” heads back to the fast-paced mammal metropolis of Zootopia in a short-form series that dives deeper into the lives of some of the Oscar®-winning feature film’s most intriguing residents, including Fru Fru, the fashion-forward arctic shrew; ZPD dispatcher Clawhauser, the sweet-toothed cheetah; and Flash, the smiling sloth who’s full of surprises.
Zootopia+ is now streaming on Disney+.
Tessa Smith is a Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer-approved Film and TV Critic. On Camera personality and TV / Film Critic with 10+ years of experience in video editing, writing, editing, moderating, and hosting.