The surprising tech references in Disney's new hit movie 'Zootopia'
Walt Disney Animation Studios
Technology rules the animal kingdom in Disney's "Zootopia."
The box office monster is the first movie we've seen from Disney Animation Studios that reflects the tech-centric world we live in today. Species of every genus are constantly on their phones, and characters rely on their digital devices to get work done.
"Zootopia" stands out in its genre, however, for never making a big show of its tech. It exists as a background layer that supplements the plot, rather than driving it.
By comparison, "Wall-E" depicts humans like tubs of lard with eyes glued to their devices. (To its credit, the film raises environmental awareness and is super cute.) "Inside Out" just about skewers Silicon Valley. The dad in the movie runs a startup called "Brang" and wears the startup uniform — a logo t-shirt that says "What did you brang?"
"Zootopia," alternatively, mimics the way tech functions for the rest of us. Here are the 9 references that made it into the movie.
Here's a movie poster for "Zootopia." Can you spot all of the phones?
Walt Disney Animation StudiosJudy Hopps, a rookie cop, carries what looks like an Apple phone, emblazoned with a carrot logo. Her partner in crime-fighting, Nick Wilde, uses a Samsung knock-off.
YouTube/Uber and Walt Disney Animation StudiosIn the movie, a billboard for the on-demand car service Zuber — providing "migration at your fingertips" — hangs overhead.
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