Zootopia 2’s Gary De’Snake Sparks Real-Life Venomous Pit Viper Craze Across China

Disney dropped a sequel and accidentally kicked off a snake craze. Yes, really. Here is where the Zootopia 2 box office stands, and why a supporting character voiced by Ke Huy Quan has people in China pricing out venomous pit vipers like they are shopping for headphones.

Box office: back on top and blowing past milestones

Five Nights at Freddy's 2 came out swinging but burned hot and fast on opening weekend, which cleared the lane for Zootopia 2 to slide back into first place. The movie pulled another $26 million over the weekend, bringing its domestic total to $258 million.

And the big headline: it has already crossed the $1 billion mark worldwide, reportedly hitting that milestone faster than any animated movie has. The U.S. run is strong, but overseas is where this thing is really flexing.

China has a new favorite: Gary De'Snake

In China, the breakout character is Gary De'Snake, a pit viper voiced by Ke Huy Quan, and he is doing more than just selling toys. According to CNN World, the character is softening how people view venomous snakes, and plenty of young fans are suddenly curious about owning the real thing.

The timing almost feels scripted: Zootopia 2 arrived near the end of the Year of the Snake. And since release, Chinese e-commerce platforms have seen a spike in searches and rising prices for the Indonesian pit viper (often called the 'island bamboo pit viper' in China). Chinese state media outlet The Paper reported listings ranging from a few hundred to several thousand yuan.

• Exotic pet shops are stocking the species, and some buyers are trying to order online - but shipping 'various live animals' and 'dangerous items like toxins' is prohibited.
• It is not illegal to keep an Indonesian pit viper as a personal pet, which is fueling demand.
• Officials and media are not thrilled. The Beijing News warned that the movie portrays a brave, lovable blue snake, but the real island bamboo pit viper is not a harmless trend item. If one escapes or bites, it is a safety risk for the owner, the family, and potentially the public.

Short version: buy the plush, not the poison.

But is the movie actually good?

Box office says yes; some critics say 'fine, but...' One take that sums up the mood comes from critic Chris Bumbray:

'In the end, Zootopia 2 is like a lot of product Disney's been putting out lately - in that it's not particularly bad, but it's also assembly-line and generic. They're playing it safe to appeal to as many people as they can, but they're making watered-down product that will never be considered on par with the Disney classics they were producing a few years ago. This is fine for kids, and it won't bore their parents, but it won't spark joy in the wide audience the original appealed so strongly to.'

So, huge hit, world-conquering numbers, and a very specific ripple effect in China thanks to Gary De'Snake. Just remember: the movie snake is charming. The real one is, well, venomous.