It has been announced that voice actor Hiro Shimono will voice the new character Gary the snake in the Japanese version of Disney Animation's "Zootopia 2" (directed by Jared Bush, due for release on December 5th). This will be Shimono's first time appearing in a Disney production. The announcement was made at an event held in Tokyo on October 15th, the day of the Snake in 2025 (the Year of the Snake). Shimono made a surprise appearance at the event, where he spoke of his joy at being in the role, drawing thunderous applause from the approximately 1,000 people in attendance.
Shimono said, "I think that not only me, but every voice actor has dreamed of doing voice-over work for a Disney production. However, it was such an incredible dream that it felt like a distant dream." Then, by chance, he met Glen Keane, who worked as a staff member on Disney productions such as "The Little Mermaid," during a program shoot overseas. This experience made him think, "Maybe one day, I could appear in a Disney production myself."
Also appearing at the event was Toshiyuki Morikawa, the voice actor for Nick in the Japanese version. Morikawa congratulated Shimono on his role, saying, "That's amazing! Dreams do come true." Shimono concluded by saying, "I never thought the day would come when I'd be able to appear in a Disney animation, so I'm very happy. But I also think that playing Gary in Zootopia 2 is a really big role. With the help of Morikawa and the other cast and staff, I will do my best to play the role of Gary and make him a wonderful character."
"Zootopia" is set in Zootopia, a world where animals live in a high-tech civilized society like humans, and tells the story of Judy meeting Nick, overcoming many challenges together as she grows into a fine police officer. Released in 2016, it was the first Disney animation film since "Frozen" to surpass $1 billion in global box office revenue. It was also a huge hit in Japan, grossing over 7.6 billion yen.
In the sequel, Nick, who has successfully graduated from the police academy and become a police officer, and Judy, the first rabbit police officer, are more enthusiastic than ever before as they team up again for an epic adventure. Gary, played by Shimono, is a key character in the sequel, a snake who suddenly appears in Zootopia, a place where only mammals are supposed to live. Judy and Nick follow Gary, which leads them to a secret place in Zootopia.
