'Zootopia 2' sparks demand for venomous snakes in China
What's the story
The animated movie Zootopia 2 has taken the world by storm, with its box office earnings surpassing $1 billion globally, as per Box Office Mojo. In China, it has become the highest-grossing foreign animated film of all time, raking in over 3.55 billion yuan ($503 million). The film's success has also led to an unexpected trend: a surge in interest among young Chinese people for exotic pets, particularly snakes.
Pet trend
'Zootopia 2' character Gary De'Snake inspires pet ownership
Qi Weihao, a 21-year-old from Jiangxi province, recently bought a venomous blue snake after watching Zootopia 2, according to CNN. The character Gary De'Snake, voiced by Ke Huy Quan in the film, inspired him to get the Indonesian pit viper. "Zootopia 2 helps give reptile pets a better image - they're not oddballs, and Gary is the most representative character among them," Qi told the outlet.
Character impact
'If you don't have extensive experience and safe equipment...'
Qi, a seasoned reptile owner, hopes that Gary De'Snake can help improve the image of reptile owners in China. "If you don't have extensive experience and safe equipment for raising snakes, please don't rush into keeping venomous snakes on a whim!" he warned. The film's plot revolves around Gary trying to clear reptiles' reputation with the help of Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde from the original film.
Sales surge
'Zootopia 2' boosts sales of Indonesian pit viper
Following the release of Zootopia 2, Chinese e-commerce platforms saw a spike in searches and prices for the Indonesian pit viper. The snake's price varied from hundreds to thousands of yuan, according to Chinese state media outlet The Paper. More than 17 million people in the country owned exotic pets by the end of 2024, with over 60% being Gen Z.
Merchandise demand
'Zootopia 2' merchandise sells out in China
Apart from the surge in snake ownership, Zootopia 2's popularity has also led to a high demand for merchandise. The blue snake character blind box became one of the top 10 best-selling items on Taobao, a major Chinese e-commerce platform. Plush toys based on Gary are also popular, with Shanghai Disneyland reportedly running out of stock shortly after the film's release.