Zootopia 2 Box Office Proves China Is Still There — Just Like The SnyderVerse

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The film Zootopia 2 earned an incredible $271.7 million in China upon its release. This success proves that Chinese audiences haven’t lost interest in Hollywood movies – they’re clearly still eager to see them.

I think people go to the cinema for a few key reasons. It’s usually when a film really speaks to them, whether it’s a sequel in a series they love, or just a story that feels relatable and everyone can connect with.

Snyder’s DC Always Connected in China

Now that there’s talk of continuing the SnyderVerse, it’s important to remember that Snyder’s DC movies always performed well in China. As I discussed before, reviving the SnyderVerse is already generating excitement there, and the success of Zootopia 2 is a clear example of this.

Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel brought in $63.44 million at the box office. Batman v Superman earned $95.77 million, and even the original theatrical release of Justice League made $106.05 million.

Asia has always been one of the strongest bases of support for Snyder’s work.

James Gunn’s Superman? A paltry $8.9M.

Why Foreign Fans Rejected Gunn’s Superman

I’ve spoken with many international fans, and their feedback is remarkably similar: they feel the new Superman movie is dismissive and disrespectful. Specifically, the scene with Superman and the Asian woman on the rooftop felt insensitive, and the storyline involving made-up countries seemed to push American political views that don’t resonate with audiences outside the US. Overall, the movie didn’t feel grand or timeless—it came across as small-scale, focused on domestic issues, and even silly.

Viewers around the world connect with stories that go beyond everyday politics. Zack Snyder consistently provided those kinds of stories, while James Gunn typically did not.

Asia Has Always Supported the SnyderVerse

My insider put it plainly. Asia has been rabid for the SnyderVerse since the beginning.

Zack Snyder’s influence on global pop culture is surprisingly widespread. It started with a fan in China who championed the release of his cut of Justice League, but his style has resonated far beyond that. Korean zombie films like Train to Busan clearly drew inspiration from Snyder’s Dawn of the Dead, and contemporary Indian fantasy movies often echo his visual style. His DC Universe vision even inspired a themed café in Singapore, and theaters in the Philippines continue to display statues from his films years later. You can even see echoes of his work in unexpected places, like the look of modern K-Pop groups and heroines, who blend the strong female aesthetic of Sucker Punch with the energy of classic Asian action films like Michelle Yeoh’s Heroic Trio.

This audience is highly engaged and informed. Snyder’s work has had a significant cultural impact in multiple countries throughout the area.

Snyder Told a Universal Story

You know, a lot of international moviegoers have pointed out something really interesting about Man of Steel. It basically tells a hopeful story about an immigrant – Clark Kent is the ultimate outsider who ends up becoming a symbol of hope for everyone. And honestly, that message just resonates with people all over the world, no matter where you’re from.

Gunn’s take on the story created a very different feeling. The way he portrayed Jor-El suggested that people from other places are untrustworthy or harmful, which wasn’t well-received internationally. This idea will be explored further in Supergirl.

The success of Zootopia 2 mirrors this same principle. It delivers a simple, relatable story that avoids controversial political themes, and viewers in China immediately connected with it.

Snyder’s Approach Still Works Worldwide

The success of Zootopia 2 shows that audiences in China are still interested in Western films. Reports that China has stopped supporting Hollywood movies are inaccurate. China responds positively to films that resonate with its viewers.

The same thing occurred with Snyder’s DC movies. He portrayed Superman and Batman as legendary, larger-than-life heroes. Stories like that resonate with audiences worldwide, and China demonstrated that for several years.

The current strong interest in Zack Snyder’s work from China proves a key point: fans haven’t stopped supporting the ‘SnyderVerse.’ It was the studio, not the audience, that abandoned the project.

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2025-12-02 09:02