Summary:
- Frozen 3 is set for release on November 25, 2026, with key cast members expected to return.
- Disney is also developing Frozen 4, with Jennifer Lee working on the storylines for both upcoming films.
It’s official: Disney is planning a return for Elsa, Anna, Olaf, and Kristoff in Frozen 3.
During a year-end earnings call in February 2023, Disney CEO Bob Iger revealed that a third installment in the Frozen series is currently in development. This new film aims to follow the success of 2013’s Frozen and 2019’s Frozen II, both of which earned over a billion dollars globally at the box office.
Although it’s still very early in the production process, here’s everything we know so far about Frozen 3.
When could Frozen 3 be released?
According to Upcoming Movies, Disney has set November 25, 2026, as the release date for the upcoming movies. Given that the film has only just been announced—likely to boost shareholder confidence during a challenging time for Disney—it’s clear that it’s still early in the development process.
Frozen II was announced at Disney’s 2015 shareholder meeting, and both earlier films were released in November. It’s no doubt that Frozen 3 will also premiere in November.
What is the plot of Frozen 3?
So far, there are no details about the plot of Frozen 3. At the end of Frozen II, Princess Anna ascended to the throne of Arendelle, with Elsa moving to live among the Northuldra as protector of the enchanted forest.
Meanwhile, Anna accepted Kristoff‘s proposal, leaving the kingdom seemingly at peace. Given that the first film was set during a winter created by Elsa’s magic and the sequel embraced an autumn theme, it’s intriguing to consider whether Frozen 3 will take us into the spring season.
Between the first two films, several animated shorts were released to bridge the story gaps and keep fans engaged. It wouldn’t be surprising if Disney chose to release more content like this while we wait for the third installment.
Who is in the Frozen 3 cast?
No cast members have been officially confirmed for Frozen 3 yet, but it’s expected that Kristen Bell and Idina Menzel will return to voice Anna and Elsa. Menzel mentioned in a June 2023 interview with Billboard that they’re definitely planning a third film, although details are scarce.
Josh Gad and Jonathan Groff are also likely to come back as Olaf and Kristoff. Additionally, the new cast members from Frozen II like Martha Plimpton, Sterling K. Brown, Alfred Molina, Jason Ritter, and Rachel Matthews might return, since their characters all survived.
Gad noted in a 2020 PopCulture.com interview that a third film would only be pursued if there was a meaningful story to tell.
He said: “Frozen 2 wasn’t Frozen 2 until there was a reason to exist. If there’s always a story worth telling, I’m sure that Jennifer Lee and the incredible team over at Disney Animation will tell that story one day.”
Who’s making Frozen 3?
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The first two Frozen films were directed by Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee, with memorable songs by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez. Now the chief creative officer of Walt Disney Animation Studios, Lee may not return as director for Frozen 3 but could contribute to the script as before.
At the London Film Festival in October 2023, Lee expressed her excitement about the project:
“All I’ll say is that last week, they carved out time for me to work with the creative team on it. And I’m blown away. I’m so excited. I don’t know what I’m doing on it yet. I might be doing nothing.”
Previously, in 2019, Lee told Yahoo, “For me [finishing Frozen II] felt final. But we always say ‘never say never’. I think what made this one special is that we’d both confessed that we didn’t want to leave this world. We naively just went into this because we love [the characters] and we could see more story.”
Will there be a Frozen 4?
Disney CEO Bob Iger recently announced that the studio plans to extend its stay in Arendelle, with both “Frozen 3” and a potential “Frozen 4” in development.
Speaking on “Good Morning America” in November 2023, Iger said:
“Frozen 3 is in the works, and there might be a Frozen 4 in the works too, but I don’t have much to say about those films right now. Jenn Lee, who created the original Frozen and Frozen 2, is hard at work with her team at Disney Animation on not one but actually two stories.”
Soon after, songwriter Kristen Anderson-Lopez confirmed via social media that she and her partner Robert Lopez would return to compose new songs for both upcoming films.
Disney is currently developing Frozen 3.
