Dec 31 (Reuters) - Walt Disney Animation Studios' DIS.N "Zootopia 2" surpassed 2019's "Frozen 2" to become its highest-grossing film ever, the company said on Wednesday, marking a bright spot in a year when global box office continues to trail pre-pandemic levels.

The animated sequel is the fifth Walt Disney Animation Studios film to cross $1 billion globally, grossing around $1.46 billion at the box office after its strong U.S. Thanksgiving weekend opening.

The film's success has been fueled by an extraordinary reception in China, where "Zootopia 2" has grossed over $560 million. The sequel dominated its opening weekend in China, capturing approximately 95% of all movie ticket sales.

"Zootopia 2" launched Hollywood's crucial holiday season with an estimated $556 million in global ticket sales in the opening weekend. The film reunites rabbit police officer Judy Hopps and her fox partner Nick Wilde in a new adventure through the bustling animal metropolis.

With global box office still falling short of pre-pandemic 2019 levels, the sequel's success has been a welcome relief to the studio and theater owners banking on packed shows during the year's second-busiest moviegoing season.

(Reporting by Harshita Mary Varghese in Bengaluru; Editing by Vijay Kishore)

((HarshitaMary.Varghese@thomsonreuters.com;))