This Deleted Scene From Zootopia Will Break Your Heart

The new Disney animated movie, Zootopia, is a modern day parable about stereotyping and judging others by what they look like. Pretty heavy stuff, but Disney manages to make it a lot of fun and it’s quickly become one of my daughter’s favourite movies.

The film went through a few editions before the animators decided on the final story though and this deleted scene is from an earlier imagining of the tale. It’s not one that’s on the blu-ray copy of the movie either.

“With this collar, Zootopia celebrates you”

In this imagining, all predators in Zootopia reach a coming of age – it has the feel of a bar mitzvah – where they become an adult and put on a taming collar.

A big step in any predator’s life, it’s a celebration. Or is it?

As excited as the little polar bear is to become a “big bear”, even in this basic animation, you can tell his dad knows what it’s really about. While it might make the other animals feel safer, it’s a pretty strong statement about trust and public opinion.

If your heart doesn’t break when those balloons drop, you’re a stronger person than I am!