Frozen (franchise)
A global brand built from a 2013 animated film.
Frozen is a Disney media franchise that began with the 2013 American animated feature film Frozen, directed by Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee, produced by Peter Del Vecho, with a music score by Christophe Beck and songs by Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez. The film was inspired by Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale 'The Snow Queen' and was executive produced by John Lasseter. Since its release in November 2013, the franchise has expanded rapidly into theme park attractions, merchandise, toys, video games, books, a Disney on Ice show, a Broadway stage musical, two short animated films, and a sequel, Frozen 2, released in 2019. By November 2014, TheStreet.com described Frozen as 'no longer a movie, it's a global brand,' and the franchise is one of the highest-grossing media franchises of all time.
- first_release
- November 27, 2013
Lore & Background
The idea for an animated adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen's 'The Snow Queen' had been at Disney since the 1940s, but production only began in the 2010s. The original film Frozen was first released on November 27, 2013, to American audiences (following a limited premiere at the El Capitan Theatre on November 10), earning two Academy Awards in 2014 (best animated feature and original song) and taking in $1.28 billion globally. By June 2016, the soundtrack had sold 4.1 million copies and been streamed over 51 million times.
On March 12, 2015, at Disney's annual meeting of shareholders, a full-length sequel was officially announced to be in development, with Buck and Lee returning as directors and Del Vecho as producer. The short film Frozen Fever was released with Disney's live-action Cinderella in 2015. In June 2016, Disney announced a franchise extension called Frozen Northern Lights, including books, animated shorts, and a TV special. The sequel Frozen 2 was released in 2019.
Reader's Guide
The Frozen franchise represents a significant cultural and commercial phenomenon, evolving from a single animated film into a global brand that, according to TheStreet.com in 2014, 'could last into the next century.' Its rapid expansion included theme park attractions, a Broadway musical, and multiple media extensions, making it one of the highest-grossing media franchises of all time. The franchise's impact extended beyond entertainment, notably boosting tourism to Norway by 37% in early 2014 due to the film's visual inspiration. The decision to create a sequel involved considerable internal debate at Disney, with executives ultimately swayed by the unprecedented success of the first film. The franchise's legacy is tied to its careful storytelling approach, as directors and producers emphasized the need for a worthy story before committing to a sequel, reflecting a philosophy that sequels should arise from filmmaker passion rather than commercial mandate.
Did You Know?
- The idea for an animated adaptation of 'The Snow Queen' had been at Disney since the 1940s.
- The film earned two Academy Awards in 2014: best animated feature and original song.
- By June 2016, the soundtrack had sold 4.1 million copies and been streamed over 51 million times.
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