Fairytale “Snow Queen” Inspires Disney’s “Frozen”

Walt Disney Animation Studios (“Tangled,” “Wreck-It Ralph”) presents “Frozen,” a stunning big-screen comedy-adventure inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Snow Queen.”

Fearless optimist Anna sets off on an epic journey—teaming up with rugged mountain man Kristoff and his loyal reindeer Sven—to find her sister Elsa, whose icy powers have trapped the kingdom of Arendelle in eternal winter. Encountering Everest-like conditions, mystical trolls and a hilarious snowman named Olaf, Anna and Kristoff battle the elements in a race to save the kingdom.

“Our film is inspired by Andersen’s classic tale, ‘The Snow Queen,’” says director Chris Buck, “and yet ‘Frozen’ is a story distinctly our own—wonderfully emotional, with plenty of action, adventure, magic and unforgettable characters.”
“Our story started as a very simple idea about the power of family and has grown into something more grand than we could have ever envisioned,” adds director Jennifer Lee, who wrote the screenplay. “It’s about fear versus love, told through a family’s epic journey—their struggle to overcome fear and find the true meaning of love.”
Produced by Peter Del Vecho (“The Princess and the Frog”), “Frozen” is executive produced by John Lasseter. “We’ve always felt that we’re making a really special—almost magical—film,” says Lasseter. “We are incredibly proud of this film. ‘Frozen’ honors our heritage at Walt Disney Animation Studios with its timeless roots, yet its strong characters, incredible storytelling and stunning visuals are totally made for today’s audiences.”

Buck (Disney Animation veteran and director of Oscar®-nominated films “Tarzan,” “Surf’s Up”) and Lee (screenwriter of the Oscar-nominated “Wreck-It Ralph” and the first female director in Disney Animation feature history) teamed up to direct the film. “When Jennifer first joined the team as writer, it became clear that the individual sensibilities Chris and Jennifer brought to the table were almost magical,” says Del Vecho. “They were so in sync with the needs of the story that they made a very dynamic directing team.”

“Jennifer Lee and Chris Buck have this perfect balance,” adds Kristen Bell, who provides the voice of Anna. “Chris has such a history with Disney—he’s captained so many ships and he brings all of that experience. Jennifer brings wonderfully weird new ideas and champions the film’s core themes, and I love how the two of them dance together, bouncing ideas off of each other that result in these wonderful scenes. It’s really easy as an actor to work alongside that.”

In addition to Bell (TV’s “Veronica Mars”), “Frozen” features the voices of Idina Menzel (Broadway’s “Wicked”) as Elsa, Jonathan Groff (Fox’s “Glee”) as mountain man Kristoff, and Josh Gad (“The Internship”) as the lovable snowman Olaf. The voice cast also includes Santino Fontana (Broadway’s “Cinderella”) as Hans, a handsome royal who catches Anna’s eye, Alan Tudyk (King Candy in “Wreck-It Ralph”) as the Duke of Weselton, Chris Williams (“Bolt”) as Oaken, and Ciarán Hinds (“Game of Thrones”) as Pabbie.

“Frozen” features eight original songs from Kristen Anderson-Lopez (“Winnie the Pooh”) and Tony® Award winner Robert Lopez (“The Book of Mormon,” “Avenue Q”), including the gripping “Let It Go,” Elsa’s self-defining anthem.

Opening across the Philippines in 3D and 2D on Nov. 27, “Frozen” is distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International through Columbia Pictures.