Pop superstar Shakira is set to light up the screen again as Gazelle in Walt Disney Pictures’ Zootopia 2, the upcoming sequel to the 2016 animated hit. Fans can look forward to a refreshed Gazelle, with Shakira reprising her beloved character and creating new music for the film. The announcement, made during Disney’s D23 Expo in Brazil, thrilled audiences as Shakira appeared in a video, teasing fresh developments for Gazelle in the anticipated release.

"I'm here to announce some big news. Are you ready? Gazelle is returning to Zootopia 2," Shakira said in the video message. "That's right. Gazelle is back, and she's got a new look, a new song, and, of course, new dance moves. Just wait until you see what she and her tiger dancers have been working on. I know you're going to love it,” she shared, adding that fans can also catch her on tour next year ahead of the film’s release.

Details surrounding Gazelle’s role in the sequel are still under wraps. In the original film, she made a cameo appearance with the song “Try Everything,” which became an iconic track and charted globally, going platinum three times. While Zootopia 2 will feature new music by Shakira, how her character and new song will fit into the storyline remains a mystery.

The sequel will also reunite audiences with fan-favourite characters Judy Hopps (voiced by Ginnifer Goodwin) and Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman), now police detectives tackling a case involving a sneaky snake named Gary, voiced by Academy Award winner Ke Huy Quan. Zootopia 2 will introduce additional characters as well, including one voiced by comedian Fortune Feimster.

Returning director duo Jared Bush and Byron Howard, who co-directed the original film, will helm the sequel. Bush, also the writer behind the first Zootopia screenplay, has crafted the script for Zootopia 2, which promises more of the adventure and humour that made the first film a billion-dollar success worldwide. Produced by Disney Animation’s Yvett Merino and Jennifer Lee, the film is expected to keep fans engaged with fresh plot twists and a star-studded cast.

Zootopia 2 is scheduled to hit theaters on November 26, 2025. Fans can currently stream the first Zootopia on Disney+ to relive Judy and Nick's first adventure in the bustling animal metropolis.