After poor theatrical showings throughout 2023, and Marvel Studios and the MCU teetering for the first time after “The Marvels,” many look to Disney in anticipation of what the studio will do to right the ship. And maybe the first glimpse of an antidote is here. Variety reports that Disney CEO Bob Iger revealed in a new interview on “Good Morning America” there may be more than one upcoming sequel for the “Frozen” franchise.
READ MORE: Disney CEO Bob Iger Announces Sequels in ‘Toy Story,’ ‘Frozen,’ & ‘Zootopia’ Franchises
“”Frozen 3” is in the works, and there might be a “Frozen 4” in the works too,” Iger said on the show Thursday morning. “But I don’t have much to say about those films right now. [Director] Jenn Lee, who created the original “Frozen” and “Frozen II,” is hard at work with her team at Disney animation on not one but actually two stories.”
Iger’s interview with “Good Morning America” came from Disney’s theme park in Hong Kong, where the CEO is helping out with the opening ceremony for “World Of Frozen.” The attraction lets park guests meet characters from the “Frozen” films, dine at themed restaurants, and walk around streets that resemble the series’ mythical Arendelle.
“For years at our Disney Parks, we’ve been creating these large immersive worlds,” Iger continued. “Essentially, they are the physical embodiment of some of the greatest stories that we’ve told…And of course, “Frozen” being one of our most valuable franchises, as you mentioned, a very successful film, I think it’s just right for building the place that “Frozen” takes place in. It’s just a fantastic land that enables people to get immersed in the story of “Frozen” and interact with all the great characters from the films.”
Along with the new attraction, two potential upcoming “Frozen” movies indicate that Iger and Disney want to utilize the franchise for future earnings stability. And that makes perfect sense, given how successful the first two “Frozen” movies were. 2019’s “Frozen II” holds the crown as the most successful animated film of all time with $1.453 billion at the global box office. But the original movie from 2013 was a big hit too, raking it $1.285 billion worldwide. With Marvel movies and Pixar films floundering at the box office lately, Disney wants a couple of assured hits in the pipeline. Two more “Frozen” movies could be that for the studio.
Or Disney could be making the same mistake again with these sequels: investing too much money and cache in a tired property when general audiences want to see something new. That’s the recent takeaway from 2023 box office failures like “The Marvels,” the latest “Indiana Jones” movie, and more. But it’s too early to tell if “Frozen 3” and “Frozen 4” are bad ideas, as they don’t even have release dates yet. Let’s see how this story develops.
