Zootopia

He ’s the suave , impudent , and sneak fox who won the meat of a plethora of Disney fans and possibly a certain rabbit as well — he ’s the one and only , Nick Wilde . Next to his bunny girl pal , Judy Hopps , Nick is one one-half ofZootopia’sdynamic duo and the two are easily some of Disney ’s best animal characters .

But there ’s more to the tricky bozo than popsicle and Hawaiian shirts . In fact , the fox many lover cognise and love is far from the original concept during the plastic film ’s former drafts . So what was he like before he snuff it from conman to lawman ? Or even before Judy even entered the script ?

UPDATE: 2023/01/03 00:15 EST BY SHAWN S. LEALOS

Zootopia+hit Disney+ in 2022 , and the title of the exalt serial is a laugh for a duad of reasons . The most obvious joke was the play on the streaming avail ’s name , Disney+ . However , the other was the literal story inZootopia+.The serial publication was exchangeable to the previous animate short seriesGrootandBaymax . However , while they were all very short , at just a few minute an sequence , the difference came in the fact thatZootopia+was indeed an add - on to the original movie , almost like a behind - the - scene pose of stories . All the fun characters from the original series set about their own side news report , while the picture play out behind them at specific times . While Nick Wilde and Judy Hopps were solving their big case , this serial depict what their patronage cast was up to .

His First Appearance Was (Technically) in Big Hero 6

Every Disney fan deserving their salt do it that the studio loves hide Easter eggs in their movies religiously . But once in a while , they ’ll hide in a tidbit that ’s a nod to a photographic film either in production or yet to be unloose . During the exhibition scene inBig Hero 6,as Honey Lemon is taking the radical selfie , pay close attending to her electric cell phone case .

That familiar vulpine shape is more than just a cute design . That is none other than Nick Wilde in a Disney moving-picture show beforeZootopiaever arrived . This iseven a better joke inZootopiasince the movie also had its own homage to another movie that was n’t released yet inFrozen 2 .

Nick Wilde Was Partially Inspired by Robin Hood

Anthropomorphicanimals in Disney flicksare nothing new , so it fix sense that Disney would force from their program library of animated feature of speech for inspiration . And there are some similarities between Nick and a sure scoundrel from Sherwood Forest . Disney ’s adaption of Robin Hood and Nick are so similar thatfan theories have paired the worldof Zootopia to that of Sherwood Forest . One prominent hypothesis even states that they partake in a timeline . Perhaps Robin and Nick are associate ?

Nick Wilde Was Originally The Film’s Focus

In some of the earlier drafts of the pic , Nick was meant to be the protagonistof the final product . In one concept , Nick and Judy were both factor in a colorful Disneyfied spy - thriller on an alien hobo camp island . In another , he was a tested and put - upon predator trying to add his life - long dream to sprightliness with the help of a shady pack boss . But once Judy entered the conniption , he got remould in a more comedic role .

Nick Wilde Originally Had A Tragic Backstory

At one time , Zootopiawas more than a few nicety darker in tone and story . In one of the original predators vs. prey angles , the preds were forced to wear seismic disturbance arrest to preclude them from " going beast . " Nick ’s ultimate destination in this plot was to create atheme park called " Wild Times"where predators could remove their collars and be themselves . Though this idea was scrapped , the Wild Times warehouse can still be seen in the film .

And A Literal Torture Scene

Along with the Wild Times plot , the idea of " Tame Collars"was pitched as a way of not - so - subtle favouritism against piranha . The collars would basically shock predators into entry if their emotions and irritation ever ran high . This theme also featured Nick getting violently take aback after a scramble with some other animals and was , obviously , too dingy and even a bit sad . It was however mirrored by the use of a gun muzzle in Nick ’s flashback chronological sequence .

Nick And Judy Were Spies In Early Development

On the other hand , there was also an approximation that saw bothNick and Judy as a brace of secret agents , but it have Nick as the veteran professional and Judy as the eager vernal plebe .

It would have seen them on a hugger-mugger mission to a tropic island , which eventually became the metropolis of Zootopia , where mammalian had gone missing . It was an entertaining idea , but unfortunately never result the storyboards .

Nick Wilde’s Shirt Came From a Clawhauser Prototype

speak of storyboards , take a feel at this image from the original ontogenesis sketches for the spy musical theme . Hugo , the orange cat behind the bar , was indispensable in the development of two fibre . The first , and probably obvious , was that ofOfficer Clawhauser , a big - belly out felinewith a ticker of gold . The 2nd was , of course , Nick ’s island - inspired garb . Take another coup d’oeil at that shirt of his . Look familiar ?

John Lasseter Inspired The Way Nick Wilde Eats Cake

A small detail , but one that warranted mentioning . Sound and movement are two constituent that subconsciously act as in the development of a character . The scene where Nick savor a shrew - sized art object of cake at Fru Fru ’s wedding is cute and comical , but it was also carefully choreograph .

In the movie ’s special features , when the filmmakers were bewilder over how a slyboots would a small dessert so delicately , John Lasseter stepped in and demonstrated himself , essentially becoming the model for the shot .

The Jumbeaux Pop Scene Was Ad-Libbed

Jason Bateman is an actorwho has some serious comedic chops , so he was practically made for voice an animated grapheme . Nowhere was this more evident than Nick ’s popsicle hustle toward the second routine of the film . This scene was entirely advertizing - libbed , andeven longer in the deleted scenes . have ’s just say the results were hysteric . Too bad the full version did n’t make it to the final motion picture .

Nick Wilde Has A Cameo In Ralph Breaks The Internet

Ralph Breaks the Internetis likely the mostEaster eggs - heavy filmthe studio has ever release . Not only does this photographic film characteristic cameos from Stormtroopers , Disney Princesses , and even Stan Lee himself , but also a pair of intimate faces from the urban jungles of Zootopia . Nick can be see savour a Pawpsicle by a cast member entering . Judy can also be go steady in one of the crowd shots talk to a certain furred member of the Guardians of the Galaxy . Looks like it ’s a small existence after all .

NEXT:10 Zootopia Characters beget More Screen clip In The Disney+ Show

Article image

A split screen of Nick WIlde in Zootopia

A Nick Wilde cameo in Big Hero 6.

Nick in Zootopia and Robin Hood.

Nick mocking Judy in Zootopia.

Wild Times concept art from Zootopia.

A beaten up Nick Wilde in Zootopia.

Nick and Judy in Zootopia artwork.

Nick artwork from  Zootopia.

Nick and Judy look down at the wedding in Zootopia

Nick Wilde meets Judy Hopps in Zootopia.

Nick Wilde from Zootopia in Ralph Breaks the Internet.

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Zootopia