Perhaps you haven’t seen it yet, but you’ve almost certainly heard of the sequel to the animated film “Zootopia 2,” which premiered in Portuguese cinemas exactly a week ago. And the new character, Gary De’Snake? There’s speculation it may have been inspired by a real person, at least according to allegations by Gary Goldman.
“I’m not the only one who sees a connection,” asserted the 72-year-old man, who has worked his entire life in Hollywood, to The New York Times.
Friends who have watched the film recently, like him, have been sending him messages (“OMG” is frequently mentioned, which translates to “Oh My God”) and even emails discussing the matter.
Some people even say that the expressive eyes of the snake featured in the film are reminiscent of Goldman himself.
Goldman acknowledges he’s not the only one with this name globally and recognizes that, at first glance, such a claim might seem somewhat like a conspiracy theory. However, there are certain details that cast doubt.
Goldman Presented Two Films to Disney Similar to “Zootopia”
Goldman has worked in Hollywood for more than 40 years. He started with documentaries but then moved on to scriptwriting, contributing to films such as “Big Trouble in Little China” (1986); “Total Recall” (1990), starring Arnold Schwarzenegger; “Basic Instinct” (1992), and “Minority Report” (2002), directed by Steven Spielberg and starring Tom Cruise.
With a successful filmography, in 2000 and again in 2009, Goldman pitched the idea for two movies (one live-action and one animated) to Disney. The premise promised to explore whether “societies can live up to utopian ideals and assess and credit others fairly as individuals, not as stereotypes”—an idea similar to that of the first “Zootopia” film.
After watching the film in question, Goldman filed a lawsuit in 2017 against Disney, claiming the company copied his title, “Zootopia,” and even used his designs and artwork for the world and characters. However, the judge did not rule in his favor and dismissed the case.
The similarities, according to Goldman, “are few, random, and superficial,” he argued. Goldman and his legal team appealed the decision and lost again.
While appealing the original decision, Goldman sued Disney in state court for breach of an “implied” contract and unfair competition, among other claims, but also lost there.
“We disagreed with some of the legal conclusions, but we accepted the decision,” stated Judith, Goldman’s wife. “We thought it was over and moved on with our lives.”
New Film Addresses Idea Theft
Then “Zootopia 2” hit the cinemas.
Despite all the negative emotions associated with the first film, Goldman became a fan of the story. Therefore, when the sequel played at the big screen, he rushed to the cinema to watch the continuation. He left deeply unsettled.
The film introduces (for the first time) reptiles into this cinematic world, with Gary De’Snake, a serpent, assuming a lead role.
(Alert! The following information contains spoilers.)
The sequel’s premise involves a dispute among “Zootopia” residents over who originally designed the city’s plans, particularly the high-tech walls that allow animals from different habitats to live together in the same space.
Gary De’Snake makes a controversial allegation: the credit for the invention of the system was stolen from his ancestors.
In the end, the snake manages to prove that his great-grandmother was the one who came up with the original idea, and to cover up the theft, all reptiles were banished from the city.
“Why did they create this character—a nice guy named Gary—who’s right in saying he and his family were robbed?” questioned Goldman. “Is it a kind of confession? An incredibly expensive Easter egg? How did this get approved by Disney?”
Judith mentions that some of the couple’s friends, who also work in Hollywood, were upset on their behalf, believing the sequel is almost a way for Disney to ‘rub salt in the wound’ and relish having won the lawsuits. However, neither she nor her husband see the situation that way.
“Actually, we’re in a very strange position, telling our friends that this might not be what it seems: it might be someone trying to do the right thing,” she explained, noting that the character in question is portrayed as an honest and genuine person.
Perhaps because of this, the couple doesn’t have “much appetite” for another lawsuit against the multinational giant.
The New York Times reached out to Disney for comment on the situation, but they declined. Similarly, Jared Bush, who wrote the sequel’s script, also refused to comment.
In an interview in October, however, Bush spoke about why he named the new character “Gary” in “Zootopia 2.”
“He’s called Gary because I think Gary is a funny name,” he admitted. “Apologies to all the Garys in the world. But several times over the years, when I’m writing a character who’s a good person, he’s named Gary,” he explained. “It’s always the name I use for sweet characters that aren’t confrontational.”
