Shanghai Animation Film Studio (SAFS) and Disney Studios China are joining forces for "A Day in the Life of Zootopia," a collection of four animated shorts spotlighting fan-favorite characters from Disney's blockbuster "Zootopia," the two companies announced Thursday in Shanghai.

(From left) Directors Wu Wencong and Fan Wen; Zhang Ming, senior vice president and managing director of The Walt Disney Company (China) Co., Ltd.; Wang Jun, chairwoman of Shanghai Film Group Corporation; and directors Liu Hu and Chen Lianhua pose for a group photo at a press event in Shanghai, June 19, 2025. [Photo by Zhang Rui/China.org.cn]

The four shorts will be released nationwide across major social media and video platforms in November 2025, coinciding with the global premiere of "Zootopia 2."

To showcase never-before-seen sides of the animal metropolis in a fresh and locally relevant way, four Chinese animators and their teams from SAFS will each bring a unique approach to the project. Each team will employ a distinct style of traditional Chinese animation — stop-motion, ink wash, 2D and paper-cut animation.

"In this collaboration with Disney Studios China, we will blend Eastern and Western cultures, using diverse traditional Chinese animation techniques to creatively reimagine globally beloved characters," said Wang Jun, chairwoman of Shanghai Film Group Corporation. "This will provide audiences with a fresh visual experience."

"We hope future cross-cultural collaborations will allow us to share compelling stories and iconic animated characters with more viewers worldwide," Wang noted.

The executive said working with Disney felt like a natural next step. "At SAFS, we've always maintained an open approach, collaborating with all animation creators committed to quality content. Together, we strive to create outstanding works for audiences," she said. "This partnership came at the perfect time — it was both inevitable and opportune."

Zhang Ming, senior vice president and managing director of The Walt Disney Company (China) Co., Ltd., said, "We are thrilled to partner with Shanghai Animation Film Studio to present a series of delightful shorts set in the widely loved world of 'Zootopia.'

"Using authentic local artistic techniques, these stories transform moments from the everyday lives of today's youth into animated tales that bring smiles to everyone," she added.

Zhang said she watched SAFS classics such as "The Monkey King: Uproar in Heaven" as a child, and that these works have become cherished memories for generations of Chinese viewers.

"These outstanding animated works made me appreciate the emotional power of storytelling and their cultural significance," she said.

Posters for four "Zootopia" shorts. [Image courtesy of Disney Studios China & Shanghai Animation Film Studio]

The project brings popular characters from the film into contemporary Chinese settings through four animated shorts, each in a distinct style.

Wu Wencong's stop-motion short, "A Fur-Tive Exchange," features Mr. Big in a snowy rendezvous with a clandestine business associate. Fan Wen's ink wash animation, "Super-Leopard Delicious," follows Officer Clawhauser on a culinary adventure. Liu Hu's 2D short, "Concert Paws," shows superfans Duke Weaselton and Finnick scrambling for Gazelle concert tickets. Chen Lianhua's paper-cut animation "You Ashleep Yet?" depicts former Assistant Mayor Bellwether struggling with insomnia. Each short reimagines the "Zootopia" universe for Chinese audiences using a unique animation technique.

Chen Lianhua, an animation director, comic artist and instructor at the Animation School of the Beijing Film Academy, serves as general director of the four shorts. He said the team focused on strong storytelling while remaining faithful to the original character designs, working closely with Disney throughout the project.

Chen further revealed that each short will be about 90 seconds long, as "the highly stylized form of animation is especially suited to short formats."

The original animated feature "Zootopia" grossed $1 billion worldwide, including 1.53 billion yuan ($236 million) in China, making it the most successful foreign animated film in the country. The film's popularity led to the opening of the world’s first Zootopia-themed land at Shanghai Disney Resort in late 2023.