Disney's Zootopia 2 secures Hideo Kojima for a special Japanese voice appearance

The news of Hideo Kojima joining the Japanese dub of Zootopia 2 has become one of the most unexpected and welcome surprises surrounding the blockbuster sequel. Disney’s follow-up to the 2016 hit is already a massive global success, earning more than $560 million worldwide and drawing praise from critics who called it a worthy continuation of Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde’s story. Mantaweb recently revealed Kojima will make a cameo appearance as Paul Moldebrandt, also known as Mole, a small but memorable character working at the Zootopia Police Department. The film will hit theaters in Japan on December 5, 2025.

The role came to Kojima through a direct invitation from Jared Bush, the director of Zootopia 2 and the Chief Creative Officer of Disney Animation Studios. His involvement adds a unique layer of excitement for viewers who follow his work across both games and film culture.

A star-studded Japanese dub and Kojima’s animated debut

According to Mantaweb, Hideo Kojima will appear as the Mole in the Japanese version of Zootopia 2, marking his first voice role in an animated feature. He said he accepted immediately after receiving the personal offer from Jared Bush. 

"I've had many cameo appearances in live-action films and games, but this is my first experience dubbing for an animated theatrical film, and it's from Disney, of all places! What’s more, it’s the sequel to my favorite film, Zootopia! On top of that, I received an offer directly from director Jared Bush, so I was extremely honored and accepted without hesitation,” said Kojima.

Kojima described the recording experience as smooth and surprisingly detailed. He noted how much he learned from being on the acting side rather than behind the scenes: 

"I only took part in a small scene, but even at the time of recording, the production was incredibly well-crafted. Thanks to the illustrations, the recording went smoothly. I'm usually on the directing side, so I learned a lot from actually experiencing acting. I was reminded of how much attention the voice actors pay to basic things like turning pages in the script and noise."

The legacy and influence of Hideo Kojima

One of the biggest gaming pioneers Hideo Kojima is considered an influential figure in modern game development, and his impact stretches far beyond the titles he creates. Although he originally planned to pursue filmmaking, a fascination with Nintendo’s Famicom steered him toward video games. That shift eventually led him to Konami.

Kojima made his debut at Konami with the racing game titled Penguin Adventure. He developed Metal Gear and Snatcher later, his initial prominent projects. The launch of Metal Gear Solid in 1998, for which he served as the director, producer, game designer, and writer, marked a major turning point. The game helped establish him as a pioneer in stealth gameplay and cinematic design. He continued to build the franchise into one of the most acclaimed in gaming, eventually guiding it all the way to Metal Gear Solid V before leaving Konami.

After leaving Konami, he formed his own company, Kojima Productions, which delivered Death Stranding in 2019 and its sequel, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, in 2025. Both projects showcased his fascination with isolation, connection, and large-scale worldbuilding. 

Kojima is also deep into several upcoming projects. OD, his cloud-powered psychological horror title made with Xbox Game Studios, remains one of his most mysterious works yet. Meanwhile, he has confirmed plans to return to espionage with Physint, a new action-stealth game being developed with Sony.

Zootopia 2 will be released in theaters on December 5, 2025, in Japan.