Zootopia Almost Became a James Bond–Style Spy Movie, Co-Writer Reveals

As Zootopia 2 continues its strong global box office run and edges closer to the list of the ten highest-grossing films of all time, new behind-the-scenes details reveal that the original Zootopia could have been a very different movie.

According to original co-writer and sequel co-director Jared Bush, the early concept for the film leaned heavily into spy-movie territory—complete with an island setting—before being completely scrapped.

Speaking on The Town with Matthew Belloni, Bush recalled joining the project when director Byron Howard had a very different vision in mind.

“When I first got here, he had pitched this notion of, ‘It’s going to be a world of talking animals and they’re going to have technology and wear clothes,’” Bush said.
“When I was first hired, that movie was almost like a James Bond adventure on an island in the middle of the ocean somewhere.”

Bush admitted he initially liked the idea, noting that he enjoys spy films. However, the creative team soon realized the concept wasn’t working.

“Eventually, we threw that whole idea in the trash,” he said. “It’s not going to be a spy movie. It’s not going to be an island. Actually, it’s just going to be the story in this city of animals.”

At that stage, even the crime-procedural framework that defines the final film had not yet been developed.

“The ‘crime’ part wasn’t there,” Bush explained. “It was like, ‘What are we going to do? We’ve got to start from scratch.’”

That reset ultimately led to the Zootopia audiences know today: a buddy-cop mystery set in a sprawling metropolis of anthropomorphic animals. The 2016 film became a critical and commercial success for Walt Disney Animation Studios, winning an Academy Award and earning more than $1 billion worldwide.

The sequel, Zootopia 2, released on November 28, picks up shortly after the original’s ending. Nick Wilde the fox and Judy Hopps the bunny are now officially partners in the Zootopia Police Department, facing a new conspiracy tied to an unexpected newcomer: the charmingly suspicious Gary De’Snake.

Both critics and audiences have responded positively to the sequel, fueling speculation that a third installment could be on the way.

For now, Zootopia 2 is still playing in select theaters worldwide, offering fans another chance to revisit the city that almost became a spy island—but instead grew into one of Disney’s most successful animated franchises.