At their annual shareholders meeting in San Francisco this morning, Disney Animation Chief Creative Officer John Lasseter and Disney CEO Bob Iger announced that Frozen 2 is officially in development.
Josh Gad, who voices Olaf, made a surprise appearance at the meeting to “beg” Iger to let them announce that Frozen 2 is in the works.
The new film will be directed by Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee, the directors of the original Frozen, which opened in theaters in November 2013. Presumably we’ll get several new songs and all of your favorite characters and voice actors will return (except, maybe, Hans?).
“We enjoyed making Frozen Fever so much and being back in that world with those characters,” said Lasseter of Frozen 2. “Jennifer Lee and Chris Buck have come up with a great idea for a sequel and you will be hearing a lot more about it and we’re taking you back to Arendelle. We are so excited about that.”
Kristen Bell celebrated the news of Frozen 2 on Twitter:
Dreams really do come 2!!! #FROZEN2 #itsofficial pic.twitter.com/qF6qTQlnqi
— Kristen Bell (@IMKristenBell) March 12, 2015
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Gad also posted this photo from his time at the shareholder’s meeting on Instagram:
The news comes one day before the Frozen short film Frozen Fever hits theaters in front of Disney’s live-action Cinderella. This morning, the new song from the seven minute film was released.
Disney didn’t announce a release date for Frozen 2. If we were to speculate, we’d expect the film to hit theaters around 2018.
Here’s Walt Disney Animation Studios’ current upcoming slate:
– Zootopia, March 4, 2016
– Moana, November 23, 2016
– Giants, March 9, 2018
Funnily enough, just yesterday we told you that Frozen’s co-directors recently said that Frozen 2 is not in the works.
The Frozen phenomenon will also continue thanks to a Broadway musical and a Disney On Ice show.
Disney also announced this morning the title for the first Star Wars spinoff movie and the opening date for Star Wars: Episode VIII.
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