This is a perfect example of how the expectation of an animated film being only for kids is totally defied. In Zootopia, Byron (Howard) and Rich (Moore) are exploring the idea of bias and disillusionment, both in ourselves and in the world around us. This story asks “What can we do as individuals to make things better?” After I first screened it, I wrote the main theme as a reaction to my emotional response to these ideas. In this case, it’s rather melancholy, it is about Judy’s transformation from living on the farm with her family to the challenges and adjustments that she has to make in order to live her life in the big metropolis. This is about discovering who you are, and how we want to be in the world.

Listen for: the stainless steel mixing bowls from the original Planet of the Apes, as well as the ram’s horn. Michael’s long time percussionist, the legendary Emil Richards had gifted these to Michael when he scored Dawn and Michael thought that they were perfect additions to the Zootopia score.