Disney CEO Bob Iger has confirmed that a fourth feature installment in the “Frozen” franchise “might in the works” alongside “Frozen 3” at Walt Disney Animation Studios. The executive teased the news on Good Morning America this morning, following the opening ceremony for World of Frozen at Hong Kong Disneyland.
“Frozen 3″ is in the works, and there might be a “Frozen 4” in the works too,” Iger told Good Morning America co-anchor Michael Strahan. “But I don’t have much to say about those films right now. But Jen Lee (the Walt Disney Animation Studios chief creative officer and co-director of) the original “Frozen” and “Frozen 2,” is hard at work with her team at Disney animation on not one but actually two stories.”
“Frozen 3” was first announced by Iger during a quarterly earnings call in February 2023 alongside “Toy Story 5″ and “Zootopia 2.” But at the time, he didn’t reveal any further details about the much-anticipated sequels, including their plot-lines.
The timeline for “Frozen 4″ is currently unclear. However, Disney is hopeful that development on the series’ third follow-up will happening concurrently with “Frozen 3,” which can potentially result in a shorter release gap between the two installments. However, the franchise’s second sequel doesn’t have a release date yet.
Since then, Disney has released “Disney Frozen: Forces of Nature,” a first-of-its-kind podcast series that tells new stories that are set after the events of “Frozen 2.” The stories feature characters from the land of Arendelle, including Anna, Elsa and Olaf, who are voiced by Kristen Bell, Idina Menzel and Josh Gad in the series. It hasn’t been confirmed if the podcast’s stories will tie into the events of the next feature film in the francise.
“Frozen” celebrates its 10th anniversary on November 27. Upon its theatrical release in 2013, the animated musical movie earned over $1.28 billion at the global box office. Its follow-up garnered $1.45 billion worldwide run. That total makes “Frozen” the only Walt Disney Animation Studios franchise in which the sequel earned more than the original film.
World of Frozen opens at Hong Kong Disneyland this Monday, November 20. The team at Disney Imagineering has recreated Arendelle for guests to explore, with such attractions as Frozen Ever After, Wandering Oaken’s Sliding Sleighs and Playhouse in the Woods.
While discussing the new attraction, Iger said: “For years at our Disney parks, we’ve been creating these large, immersive worlds. Essentially, they’re the physical embodiment of some of the greatest stories that we’ve told whether it’s Cars Land or Star Wars or Pandora, and of course Frozen, being our most valuable franchise…(and) successful film.
“I think it’s just ripe for basically, building the place that “Frozen” takes place in and it’s just a fantastic land that enables people to get immersed in the story of “Frozen” and interact with all the great characters for films,” Disney CEO’s also shared.
“The best thing here is you visit and you actually can meet Olaf and Anna and Elsa and all the gang from “Frozen”…I think the thing that is great about it is you actually feel like you’re in the place that the movie took place in and it just gives you this powerful sense of story that I think people have grown to love over the last decade,” Iger added.