2016’s Zootopia is one of the best modern Disney animated films. It explored complex subject matter like prejudice, stereotypes and racism behind the veil of adorable anthropomorphic animals. However, the movie never received a sequel or spinoff. Until now, that is. Zootopia+ is the latest spinoff series for a Disney animated movie after Big Hero 6’s Baymax and Cars’ Cars On The Road.

Animal House

So You Think You Can Prance – “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 characters, including ZPD dispatcher Clawhauser (voiced by Nate Torrence). Clawhauser persuades his boss, Chief Bogo (Idris Elba), to audition for “So You Think You Can Prance.” The stakes are high as the ultimate prize is a dream-come-true opportunity to dance on stage with superstar Gazelle. Directed by Josie Trinidad and Trent Correy, and produced by Nathan Curtis, “Zootopia+” streams on Disney+ beginning Nov. 9, 2022. © 2022 Disney. All Rights Reserved.

When does Zootopia+ take place? Well, the clue lies in its name. Unlike Cars On The Road or Baymax, Zootopia+ isn’t a sequel to the movies. It’s unique in that the episodes in Zootopia+ take place during the events of the Zootopia movie and revisits certain scenes from the movie. The events of each episode will tie into or expand on specific scenes in the movie by focusing on stories featuring the movie’s supporting characters, including Fru Fru the shrew; Clawhauser the cheetah; and Flash the sloth.

However, you don’t need to have watched the Zootopia movie to enjoy Zootopia+, though I’d still recommend watching the movie to understand better appreciate how these episodes fit into the movie. There are six episodes in Zootopia+ Season 1 and each episode is short but sweet; only 6 to 10 minutes each. Yeah, you can pretty much finish the first season of Zootopia+ in one sitting if you want to.

The Real Rodents of Little Rodentia – “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 characters. In “The Real Rodents of Little Rodentia,” newly engaged Fru Fru (voiced by Leah Latham) kicks off wedding planning with enthusiasm and flourish—at least until her scene-stealing cousin Tru Tru (Michelle Buteau) arrives to assume the role of Shrew of Honor. A battle for the spotlight ensues until a close call with a giant donut reveals that for better or worse, no one knows you better than family. Directed by Josie Trinidad and Trent Correy, and produced by Nathan Curtis, “Zootopia+” streams on Disney+ beginning Nov. 9, 2022. © 2022 Disney. All Rights Reserved.

Still, Zootopia+ is worth watching despite being so brief. There’s not much to spoil, but each episode is fun. Each episode has a theme or gimmick, so it’s fun to see the animators and teams being creative with the series. One episode is a riff or parody of The Real Housewives, while another is a musical episode. Zootopia+ isn’t as creatively diverse or unexpected as Cars On The Road, but it’s still fun watching these supporting characters getting more screen time, especially Flash the sloth (who is probably one of the best and most memorable characters from the movie). It’s also great that many of the voice actors from the movie reprised their roles for Zootopia+ (some of whom I was surprised to see returning).

In addition, Zootopia+ looks just as good as the original movie. The best thing about these new spinoff series is that their brief duration allows Disney to maintain feature-film-level of animation quality. All six episodes of Zootopia+ Season 1 translate to a runtime of less than an hour, but it’s worth checking out for a fun time with family and friends.

FINAL SCORE: 70/100

We received an early screener of Zootopia+ courtesy of Disney+ Hotstar Malaysia. Zootopia+ is slated to premiere on 9 November 2022 on Disney+ Hotstar Malaysia.