Where we go from here…

Hello there my fellow Zootopians,

As we all decide to gorge ourselves on some delectable Thanksgiving delights and settle into our food comas, we finally have the opportunity to see Zootopia 2. Firstly, let us be thankful after a long nine years a sequel has finally come to pass.

“There are those who said this day would never come. What are they to say now?” – Prophet of Truth – Halo 2

There was indeed much doubt as to whether this would ever come to pass, from the lawsuits Disney had to deal with, to the restructuring of the company’s management and other internal things over the years. Let’s face it, it’s been hell. No doubt about that. But we have arrived and we are finally here.

And while we thank God, Time, Fate, Destiny, and/or Disney for finally giving us Zootopia 2 after long last, let us look toward the future and what it could potentially mean.

But first, allow me to introduce myself. My name is AgentExeider, or just “Agent” for short. Some of you in the fandom might know me, others may not. I am Andy Lagopus’ fellow leader of ZNN and webmaster and tech guru. I am also a fiction writer and world builder.

Today I want to discuss not the movie, but the future of the franchise and its potential. Because whenever I have discussed it, the discussion always ends with us talking about the potential of the series and what it could be; what it could do.

Like a lot of you, I had my concerns about the sequel and if it would live up to or even, dare I say, exceed my expectations and the quality of the first movie. I purposefully avoided spoilers from both official and non-official sources alike and tried to temper my expectations with respect to my love of the IP and the world that was built only nine years ago.

I have my answer. My concerns for the movie were effectively pacified after I saw it. I know from seeing it that the movie will do well. It will reignite the fire and passion and will make the iron “hot” again for this franchise. In truth, my chief concern isn’t the movie. It’s what’s beyond that.

My chief concern is this: will Disney let the heat from the iron go to waste and let it cool down, banking on their other pathways that have failed them so consistently in the last few years?

OR… Do they have a plan to expand beyond this? Are they planning to expand this world into other avenues?  The added polish to the animation only serves to make this world appear more vibrant and alive than it did before, which was already an achievement the first time, and yet they improved on it again.

Disney has proven they can stoke the furnace and strike the iron. The question is, can they muster the follow-through? There are many people in this fandom, who visit this site and talk with us on its Discord community who are chomping at the bit for a furtherance of this franchise, to see it go and develop into other mediums. Whether it be a trilogy, a TV show, video games, VR experiences, etc., the true question here is, can and will Disney allow us into this world more than the short-term windows that cinema provides?

I want to see bravery, I want to see commitment, I want to see faith in this franchise by its creators. I want them to believe in the magic of it, that the fandom already knows that it has.

Taking the safe road leads to underwhelming outcomes. We’ve all seen it. We all know it. Risk, true risk is the name of the game and the spice of life. There can be no true ambrosia of victory without the threat of painful, sometimes humiliating failure. Something simply given has no value. Something not earned through struggle and risk has no worth.

We sit here, after nine long years of waiting. We are all older, we are all wiser. We have gained new friends. And we have lost a few. Let us not make the struggle we have done to keep this fandom alive be in vain. We have poured our lifeblood, our money and our effort into her veins to keep it going. With the creating of content, stories, art, role play, world building discussions and more.

I’ve seen it. I know it.

Such efforts cannot be for naught, such efforts cannot be allowed to be wasted. Let us not go gentle into that good night. There is demand for more, there is a call for more, the world over. Do not let that fire smolder into an ember again.

All we need is Disney to have that kind of faith again, to have that kind of fire again. Work with us, don’t keep us at arm’s length anymore. There are many here who are eager to help. And I can guarantee they will be more committed, more honest and more passionate than others who simply see this as “just a job”.

We, all of us, can turn this into a cohesive vision, and into a accomplished and developed franchise, more than just movies, more than just books, more than just “product”. A complete and total experience for many to enjoy, old and young.

So, what say you Disney, are you willing to cross that Rubicon together? Because we are waiting and we are ready…

For Zootopia!

“With Courage and Ferocity We Protect Zootopia” – Bureau 13 motto and mission statement.