Considering just how quickly studios rush to greenlight any and all sequels or spinoffs of popular films, it’s a bit strange to think that Disney’s mega-hit Frozen was released almost three years ago, with little update on a big screen sequel. As one of the studio’s most successful films in history, the fact that Disney had turned out an instant classic in the face of Pixar’s dominanace - and a musical, no less - seemed to guarantee the announcement of a sequel. And such an announcement came… but updates since have been hard to come by.
The last we heard of Frozen 2 actress Kristen Bell had claimed that recording sessions for the voice cast were set to begin back in March of 2016. With little information on such sessions since, Bell now clarifies that while more Frozen is on the way before long, the script for a big screen sequel has still not been finalized - hopefully for a very good reason.
While the movie’s success made a sequel a no-brainer for all involved, it would appear that Disney views the property as so valuable, any and all sense that it’s being hurried into production has evaporated. After all, it wasn’t until 2015 that the movie’s sequel was even officially announced. And knowing just how different Frozen was in its earliest development stages - when Queen Elsa was the villain, not one half of the movie’s emotional core - it appears the writers are taking even more time to get the sequel right.
Speaking with Collider about the project, Kristen Bell clarified that her previous hint of imminent recording sessions jumped the gun (even if she hasn’t strayed too far from the role of Princess Anna in the meantime):
So as fans mark their calendars for December 2017 (not this Christmas, sorry) knowing that a batch of new songs starring Anna, Elsa, Olaf and the gang are already in the can, the questions turn to Frozen 2. It’s clearly no reason to suspect that the sequel’s story is in jeopardy - writer/directors Jennifer Lee and Chris Buck proved they know how to make a hit - but any decision to postpone for quality comes with some risk. Although we doubt that Disney could ever wait too long to make the most of Frozen’s success with a sequel.
“We haven’t, actually. I thought we were about to start recording, but I was mistaken. So, we haven’t begun yet. They’re putting the finishing touches on the script. We record, as those characters, often. At the change of season at the parks, whether it’s for Disneyland, Epcot, or when Japan opens, we will record new voices for our characters, but we actually haven’t started recording for the second Frozen. But what we have been working on is an Olaf Christmas special that we’re doing for next year. We’ve recorded that already, which has been a lot of fun to work on.”
As Bell explains to IGN, the directors have the ability to take as much time as they like in crafting the script since “everyone is going to be excited whether it comes out tomorrow or in five years.” As Buck and Lee craft Disney’s most anticipated sequel in years, Bell claims, the cast stands “on call” when needed.
We’ll keep you updated as more details on the story and production of Frozen 2 arrives.
Source: Collider, IGN
