'Zootopia' directors on passing $1 billion 

Let friends in your social network know what you are reading about

\'Zootopia\' directors on passing $1 billion: \'We hope there\'s cake\'

The Disney animated film reached the mark worldwide this weekend.

A link has been sent to your friend\'s email address.

A link has been posted to your Facebook feed.

To find out more about Facebook commenting please read the Conversation Guidelines and FAQs

'Zootopia' directors on passing $1 billion: 'We hope there's cake'

Bryan Alexander, USA TODAY 7:45 p.m. EDT June 5, 2016

Nick Wilde (left, voiced by Jason Bateman) and Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin) team up to solve a mystery in the animated film 'Zootopia.'

Looks like there\'s going to be a wild celebration now that Walt Disney Studios\' animated 

 has passed the elite $1 billion worldwide box-office mark.

"We hope there\'s cake," director Byron Howard told USA TODAY during a joint interview with fellow director Rich Moore days before crossing $1 billion.

Disney is going to need a very big cake for the hit movie about an all-animal metropolis, which made an additional $4.4 million this weekend to push it over the estimated $1 billion mark after 16 weeks overseas and a dominant U.S. run.

is the fourth animated film ever to cross the $1 billion mark and the No. 1 animated film of 2016 (No. 2 overall for the year to date behind

Moore adds that reaching the billion mark is "mind-blowing."

"I cannot imagine a billion of anything," says Moore. "A billion is such a big number.  When we were making the film, I was thinking that I hope the audience loves this world like we do and it really connects with people. To see it happening like this is really gratifying."

'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2' takes box office with $35.3M

 would seem highly likely, yet another story with bunny police officer Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin) and fox con-artist Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman) hasn\'t been officially greenlit by the studio.

"But it makes it so much easier to proceed forward when there\'s this kind of affection for the film," says Howard. "We want to talk about what these characters would do next. (A sequel) feels like a great possibility."

The Gerbil Jerks were fun, but didn\'t play into the revamped story of \'Zootopia.\' They now star in an extra about deleted characters on the \'Zootopia\' Blu-ray that\'s out June 7. 

It\'s tough for a pig politician. Mayor Swinton never saw screen time in \'Zootopia,\' where she was displaced by Mayor Lionheart. 

An early sketch of Mayor Swinton applying lipstick. 

Mayor Lionheart took the job as mayor in the final film. 

The Razorbacks kept the heat on the sly fox Nick in earlier versions of the film. But when the focus changed to Judy Hopps, they had to go. 

The stealth sheep Wooly flipped the narrative by donning wolf\'s clothing. 

Fast-talking Nick Wilde (voiced by Jason Bateman) was the focus of \'Zootopia\' at the start of production. But the story changed. 

Chief Bogo (voiced by Idris Elba) doesn\'t think much of his rookie cop Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin) in \'Zootopia.\' 

Like this topic? You may also like these photo galleries:

Happy 75th Bob Dylan - May you stay forever young

60 second recap: 'The Bachelorette' season premiere

Robin Wright demanded this for 'House of Cards'

Ryan Gosling talks about 'The Nice Guys'

'The Wire' actor arrested after political argument

Julianne Hough opens up about being bullied

Keith Urban and Nicole Kidman perform their own car karaoke

Meghan Trainor pulls altered music video

Is Chloe Grace Moretz dating Brooklyn Beckham?

Prince's lawyers have his DNA in case any 'parentage issues' come up

'Game of Thrones' recap: Oathbreakers and forgotten sons

Celebs share their greatest piece of advice from Mom

Learn Fifth Harmony's 'Work from Home' dance moves

Hamilton cast reacts to record 16 Tony nominations

Tony nominees on how they'll spend Tony night

Why some 'Biggest Loser' contestants can't stay fit

'Hamilton' eyes history with 16 Tony noms

Tony nominee Alex Brightman performs for USA TODAY