Zootopia 2 Stars Jason Bateman & Ginnifer Goodwin Reveal How They Got Back Into Character After a Decade

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Released in 2016, Zootopia was a huge success with both critics and audiences, earning over a billion dollars worldwide. The movie was celebrated for its smart story, beautiful animation, and insightful look at prejudice, all within an exciting detective story. Now, almost ten years later, Zootopia 2 is arriving, bringing back Judy Hopps (voiced by Ginnifer Goodwin) and Nick Wilde (voiced by Jason Bateman) for a new case that picks up shortly after the first film. For the actors, though, returning to these characters after a decade presented a unique challenge. Ginnifer Goodwin and Jason Bateman recently spoke with ComicBook about the difficulty of recapturing their characters’ voices after so much time away from recording.

Goodwin shared that she and Bateman thoroughly re-watched the original movie. Bateman playfully mentioned they spent countless hours analyzing it, feeling like it would never end. For Goodwin, revisiting the character of Judy Hopps became a family affair. She explained that over the last ten years, she’d repeatedly shown Zootopia to her children, now ages nine and eleven. It was the one project she could share with them without them realizing she was involved, and they genuinely enjoyed watching it over and over. She felt she gained valuable insights just by watching it with them, helping her understand what they’d accomplished and how she might approach things differently if she had the chance.

Jason Bateman and Ginnifer Goodwin Reveal How Recording Voices for Zootopia Works

Many people think voice acting for cartoons means over-the-top performances, but the actors in Zootopia were asked to do just the opposite. In a recent interview, Goodwin and Bateman both explained that they actually found this more subtle approach to be a really satisfying acting challenge.

Goodwin described their initial recording experience as simply using their own voice. The producers pointed out they weren’t looking for a performance, and if they wanted actors, they would have cast them. Goodwin doesn’t feel like they’re acting at all, but rather being asked to be completely authentic and responsive in the moment. They don’t need to become a character because the situation is unpredictable and requires genuine reaction.

Bateman explained the recording process, emphasizing a natural performance style. Actors have a script on an iPad and essentially perform as if interacting with it. He noted that the directors want a realistic delivery, not an over-the-top vocal performance – they trust the animators to add expression later. The main direction they give is simple: ‘Just talk normally and do a good job.’ They encourage actors to be themselves, promising to handle the visual aspects in post-production.

Zootopia 2 is scheduled to be released in theaters on November 26th.

Now that the Zootopia sequel is coming, what are you looking forward to the most? Share your thoughts in the comments and join the discussion in the ComicBook Forum!

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2025-11-22 00:43