FILM · 2016 · USA
Zootopia
- Directed by
- Byron Howard, Rich Moore
- Runtime
- 109 min
- Studio
- Walt Disney Animation Studios
192 archived facts 6 topics 1 source Last reviewed Sep 2026
Determined to prove herself, Officer Judy Hopps, the first bunny on Zootopia's police force, jumps at the chance to crack her first case - even if it means partnering with scam-artist fox Nick Wilde to solve the mystery.
Summary: TMDB
18 Easter Eggs and References in Zootopia
- #007
During the train journey to Zootopia, Judy listens to various artists on her music device before choosing Gazelle. These include The Beagles, Black Sable, Catty Perry, Destiny's Cub, Ewe 2, Fleetwood Yak, Fur Fighters, Gun N' Rodents, Hyena Gomez, Kanine West and Mick Jaguar. These names reference real bands and singers such as Guns N' Roses, Destiny's Child, The Beatles, Black Sabbath, Katy Perry, Fleetwood Mac, Selena Gomez, Ye, U2, Mick Jagger and Foo Fighters.
- #020
Contains a major spoiler — show
Judy's two obnoxious next-door neighbors, who can be heard constantly telling each other to shut up, are a nod to the notorious "shut up little man" recordings. The tapes were a pre-internet viral sensation in which a pair of neighboring male roommates were recorded constantly arguing, often ending with the pair screaming at each other to shut up.
- #021
Contains a major spoiler — show
The horn heard when Judy Hopps leaves her hometown and arrives in Zootopia is the horn of the Monorail at the Disney Parks. The SkyTram in the rainforest district is a nod to the Skyway, which carried guests from Fantasyland to Tomorrowland at Disneyland and to the Magic Kingdom. The Sky Buckets were removed from Disneyland in 1994 and from the Magic Kingdom in 1999.
- #032
Chief Bogo wears glasses to read documents, a nod to the fact that the buffalo's eyesight is very poor.
- #037
Contains a major spoiler — show
As Judy's train passes the sign reading "Leaving Bunnyburrow," the town's population can be seen rapidly increasing. This, along with Judy's hundreds of siblings, is a nod to rabbits' prodigious reproductive ability.
- #058
In the DVD scene selection menu, Nick pauses to look at a Chinese panda businessman, a species that is probably rare in the film as it is in the real world.
- #059
STUDIO TRADEMARK: The shared Pixar Easter egg "A113," a reference to old classrooms, appears on the license plate of Gideon Grey's JED3113 van.
- #077
The driver's license number in Emmitt Otterton's wallet references both the year Disneyland opened and John Lasseter's birth year.
- #080
The elephant in the film is named Jerry Jumbeaux, Jr., which appears to be a reference to the title character of the Disney film Dumbo (1941), whose original name was Jumbo Jr.
- #081
Judy's calling Duke Weaselton "frozen" is a reference to the character The Duke of Weselton in Frozen (2013). Alan Tudyk voices both Weaselton in Zootopia (2016) and Weselton in Frozen (2013).
- #089
Contains a major spoiler — show
The license plate 29THD03 appears twice in the film. The first time is in the background on a taxi while Judy is following Weaselton. The second is on the limousine in Tundratown.
- #105
A "Lucky Cat Café" can be seen in Little Rodentia. It is a reference to Big Hero 6 (2014), in which Hamada owns a similar café.
- #108
Ginnifer Goodwin's (Judy Hopps) husband and Once Upon a Time co-star Josh Dallas makes a cameo as the Pig robbed by Duke Weaselton early in the film.
- #109
In many ways, this film is a modern answer to the shortcomings of its earlier furry predecessor Robin Hood (1973). On its release, Robin Hood was mocked as an unambitious children's film with anthropomorphic animal characters that fell below the late Walt Disney's artistic standards, much like the recycling of numerous animation sequences from earlier films. Its female characters, such as Maid Marian, are also strictly secondary and disappear once their specific scenes are over. By contrast, Zootopia is a big-budget, widely acclaimed, Oscar-winning film noted for its anthropomorphic animals and cinematic innovations such as texture rendering. Moreover, while Robin Hood's animators complained about how character designs were arbitrarily rejected in favor of clichéd animal stereotypes, in Zootopia the breaking of stereotypes and prejudice serves as the film's main theme. Furthermore, the female police character Judy Hopps is the protagonist, and her struggles largely form the film's main plot.
- #118
Contains a major spoiler — show
When Officer Judy realizes that Night Howlers refers to flowers and jumps into the family farm truck to return to Zootopia and solve the case, the license plate reads JER2911 — a reference to a popular Bible passage, Jeremiah 29:11, which states: "For I know the plans I have for you," declares God, "plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." This may be a reference to the idea that Judy was meant to be a police officer, and that it is her destiny/calling.
- #120
The opening sequence of the rabbit hunting in the forest at night is a clear reference to the opening of Disney's Tarzan (1999).
- #172
Judy Hopps was named as a reference to Officer Judy Hoffs from 21 Jump Street (1987).
- #184
Ginnifer Goodwin and Jason Bateman, who voice Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde, had both previously appeared as guest actors on Nickelodeon animated shows. Goodwin voiced the mermaid leader in the SpongeBob SquarePants (1999) episode The Monster Who Came to Bikini Bottom/Welcome to the Bikini Bottom Triangle (2011), and Bateman voiced Tommy Turner in the The Fairly OddParents (2001) episode Oh, Brother!/What's the Difference? (2005).
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