Summary
TheFrozenfranchise has seen so much success that Disney is now developing two sequels at once. After the original 2013 movie earned $1.28 billion andFrozen IIearned an even larger share with $1.45 billion at the box office, the musical franchise has become a multimedia hit that has seen its characters in TV shows, musicals, video games, and more. The main draw remains the movies, but it will be years before it returns to theaters, asthe upcomingFrozen IIIwill be released in 2027, though the potential fourth movie may not be far behind it.
In an interview withFandangoafter D23, franchise director Jennifer Lee opened up about the reality of the upcoming movies' productions. While the 2019 sequelwas developed after the original movie’s release,the upcomingFrozen IIIandIVare being developed simultaneously. While it is still early in the production process, Lee explained that the movie will answer multiple questions, including the origins of Elsa’s powers and Hans' ultimate fate. Check out her full quote below:
We are working on Frozen III and Frozen IV at the same time. So, we’re working in a room where this half is Frozen III, this half is Frozen IV, we’re standing in the middle going back and forth. We are not even fully scripted yet; we’re in early scripting, so it’s too soon to know where the musical language will go. What we put out today at [D23] is a lot of questions. One of those questions is… “Who gave Elsa her powers?” And another question is, “What happened to Hans?” But we put up a lot of questions that will be answered. And that’s only the first page of questions [that the films will reckon with].
The Benefits Of Frozen’s Simultaneous Development
The Immense Success Prompted Disney To Ensure Quicker Releases
Sequels have proven to be strong box office forces for Disney in 2024, asInside Out 2andDeadpool & Wolverineeachearned over $1 billionthis summer. With such immense profit, that the company would continue to focus on developing sequels to established franchises is no great surprise.The immense box office gross and critical praise for theFrozenfranchise’s previous offerings means that Walt Disney Animation likely expects to see near-guaranteed success from the sequels. Check out the chart below, which showcases theFrozenfranchise’s success among audiences and critics on Rotten Tomatoes:
89%
85%
$1.28 billion
77%
92%
$1.45 billion
While profit is on the horizon, development can be slow. Animated movies can take years to develop, asFrozen IIproved when it was released six years after the original 2013 movie. With simultaneous production, however, Disney can ensure aquicker development forFrozen IV. While an official release date has not been confirmed, it should shrink the overall pre-production timeline immensely, as there is no need to wait for confirmation to begin development. Writing both movies together also allows fora greater sense of cohesion, as the fourquelcan build directly on the plot of the next moviewithout delays preventing proper planning.
Live-Action Frozen Remake: Will It Happen? Everything We Know
Rumors have teased a live-action Frozen remake from Disney, and while nothing’s official yet the demand from fans could change this quickly.
Disney has recently explored this style of production with theAvatarfranchise. ThreeAvatarmovies were written at once, allowing for each sequel to be released at a rapid pace, rather than again waiting another 13 years for each upcoming sequel. The decision to simultaneously developFrozensequels indicates that the experiment proved to be a success for Disney. As a breakout franchise for Disney, the company is doing everything it can to keepFrozenin theaters as much as possible.It will mean a longer wait for the threequel, but a quicker release forFrozenIV.
Source:Fandango
Frozen
Frozen is a multimedia franchise developed within Disney by Chris Buck, Jennifer Lee, and Shane Morris. Originally based on the tale by Hans Christian Andersen, the core of Frozen tells the story of the two sisters of the kingdom of Arendelle, the warm-hearted Anna and the stern but kindly Elsa, who has the power to control ice. Together with their friends, the two sisters unravel the mysteries that surround their kingdom as they learn to manage their royal duties.
