Frozen has become a massive Disney staple from hit movies to Disney+ shorts, to theme park lands and attractions. So, of course, it was no surprise that the studio announced they were working a third big-screen movie. While details on Frozen 3 are being kept under wraps, there is now a behind the scenes development.
According to TheWrap, Walt Disney Animation Studios CEO Jennifer Lee, who directed both Frozen and Frozen II, will not be directing Frozen 3 for the studio. Lee revealed the news while speaking with the trade at this year’s Annecy Animation Festival, she also shared that the mystery person behind the project came up with the story and will stay on the project in advisory/mentor role.
“I can’t say where we are [with “Frozen 3.” All our stories are driven by the artists in the studio. Where we’re going with ‘Frozen’ did not come from me. It came from an incredible person. That’s a new piece, I’ve told no one. And I’ve been blown away by it and I’m just having a blast with that team,”
Jennifer Lee
READ MORE: Interview: Author Mari Mancusi Talks Frozen Book, Her Writing Career, and Cosplaying (Exclusive)
Frozen was released in 2013 and was inspired by the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale “The Snow Queen”. The film earned two Academy Awards in 2014 (best-animated feature and original song) and took in $1.28 billion globally at the box office and sold 4.1 million soundtracks by June 2016. The soundtrack has also been streamed over 51 million times since its release in 2013, thanks to everyone’s favorite song “Let It Go”. As for Frozen 2, the film earned $1.450 billion worldwide, finishing its theatrical run as the third-highest-grossing film of 2019, the tenth-highest-grossing film of all time, and the second-highest-grossing animated film of all time, and had the highest-grossing worldwide opening of all time for an animated film. Frozen II received a nomination for Best Original Song at the 92nd Academy Awards, among numerous other accolades.
