Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Zootropolis' new anchors change animal depending on what country you're in

Another testament to the animation studios' incredible eye for detail, especially when it comes to international audiences

Clarisse Loughrey
Monday 07 March 2016 09:17 GMT
Comments

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Disney thrives on detail, it just about nourishes their souls. Whether in monumental research or delicately laid Easter Eggs, it's this detail which has rendered the studio's classics so endlessly watchable and entirely inexhaustible.

Their newest offering Zootropolis (or Zootropia in the US), is no different; its city of anthropomorphic animals is packed full of clever nods and references to the human world. From Bearberry and iPaw, to parodied takes on Frozen's 'Let it Go' and The Little Mermaid 's 'Part of Your World', there are treats and delights in store around every corner.

One of its easter eggs, however, has a distinctly international flavour when it comes to the species of the news anchor seen on the film's ZNN channel. Depending on where in the world you're watching Zootropolis, the type of animal hosting may change.

In the standard release, seen in locations such as the US, Canada, France, Mexico, and Russia; the news anchor is Peter Moosebridge, voiced by famous Canadian CBC chief news anchor Peter Mansbridge.

In the UK, however, fans will see a corgi anchor; Japan has a tanuki (the Japanese racoon dog), China has a panda, and Brazil has a jaguar anchor.

Although, this Reddit thread is filled with moderately aggravated Kiwis disparaging the fact their country's lack of native mammalia means they've once more been roped in with the Australians and their koala anchor, voiced by Australian singer David Campbell.

This isn't the first time Disney has changed details in their films for international audiences; In Inside Out, the broccoli Riley despises is replaced with green bell peppers in Japan, where the food is far more commonly despised by the country's children.

In Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Cap's list of cultural references to catch up on was changed for the UK release of the film.

Disney's international approach to its filmmaking clearly works; with Zootropolis marking the animation studios' biggest ever debut in China, Russia, Germany, and India. It has so far taken in a global haul of $232.5M to date.

Zootropolis has its UK release 25 March.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in