What We Know So Far About The Birds in 'Zootopia 3'

While we’ve known for a little while that Zootopia 3 is on the way, we recently got some more information about the upcoming film that has us extra excited.

©Disney

Disney officially announced the new film at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event last month, and with it, we got a hint that there’s one animal that will be a big part of the upcoming film. Birds are going to be a BIG part of this new film, and Disney wants to make sure that we ALL know it.

In their announcement at D23, Disney revealed that Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin) and the snake, Gary De’Snake (Ke Huy Quan), will return in Zootopia 3, but this time, they’ll be joined by “some feathery fliers” that are along for the ride.

The bunny and the snake are back🐰🐍… and they’ve got some feathery fliers coming in Zootopia 3! #D23 pic.twitter.com/fA219IKvUo

— Disney Animation (@DisneyAnimation) August 15, 2026

That was all we knew about the film, until today, when Disney dropped some more information on what we can expect from the new film in the franchise. In an interview, the cast and filmmakers talked about how excited they are to bring birds into the story.

If you went to go see Zootopia 2, which arrived in theaters in 2025, you would have noticed that in the post-credits scene, a feather floated onto Judy’s windowsill, hinting at the addition of birds in Zootopia 3. Then, at D23, Jared Bush, Chief Creative Officer of Walt Disney Animation Studios, shared an exclusive extended sequence, confirming birds will play a major role in the next installment. In an interview about the new film, Bush said, “Obviously, at the end of Zootopia 2, you see this little teaser of a feather coming in. What that means for Nick and Judy, what that means for the world of Zootopia, that’s going to be the fun surprise of this movie. For this one, we want all of our really fun characters to come back — but we’re going to really be pushing on this one to bring people some new things.”

©Disney

Goodwin and Quan also have admitting to already texting the creative team different ideas and jokes they have about adding birds into the franchise. Goodwin said, “I have been texting them random thoughts. There are things I’m discovering about myself and my own relationship with birds that maybe we could use.” While Quan admitted he doesn’t know anything about what’s in store for his character this time around, but that he “can’t wait to hear and go back to the recording booth and play Gary again.”

©Disney

Yvett Merino, the producer of Zootopia 2, also said that subverting fans’ expectations about how different species interact is why she’s excited to return to the animal metropolis, continuing to say, “The world of Zootopia is one of my favorites to play in, because it’s such a mirror of the world we live in. Just like the stories in our world, the stories in Zootopia are endless.” Clark Spencer, President of Disney Animation, echoed the sentiment, saying, “There are so many other districts we can go into. We didn’t have reptiles the first time, and we’re allowing birds to come in this time. That allows the story to get bigger and bigger, to always feel fresh. But, at its core, this is always going to be a story about Nick Wilde and Judy Hopps. It’s going to always have Jason Bateman and Ginnifer Goodwin, because they are the core of these films.”

©Disney

Additionally, Byron Howard, director of the first two Zootopia films, said that the third film will continue to tackle another aspect of “predator versus prey, and how those two get along,” and continued to say, “With the sequels, we want to look back at what was created, what people fell in love with, so that we can deliver something even better, expand the world, and take the characters to new levels. If you look at Nick and Judy, there are people who want them together as a couple, and people who want them to stay friends. I love that there’s that tension among the fans, and it just speaks to the fact that Jason and Ginny brought those characters to life and people really believe in their souls. I think we’re going to keep leaning into that.”

©Disney

The release date for the new film hasn’t been announced just yet, but we’ll be sure to keep you updated the moment we hear about one. Stay tuned to DFB!

The 3 Most Unexpected Announcements Disney Made This Month

Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe!

WE KNOW DISNEY.
YOU CAN, TOO.

Oh boy, planning a Disney trip can be quite the adventure, and we totally get it! But fear not, dear friends, we compiled EVERYTHING you need (and the things to avoid!) to plan the ULTIMATE Disney vacation.

Whether you're a rookie or a seasoned pro, our insider tips and tricks will have you exploring the parks like never before. So come along with us, and get planning your most magical vacation ever!

Are you looking forward to this third film? Tell us in the comments!