There’s a big problem regarding the confirmation of Frozen 3. The Disney franchise began in 2013 with the release of the first film. It was an immediate hit among all ages making a sequel inevitable. It was once rare for Disney animated films to see successful sequels, with most Disney Princess movies getting straight to video follow-ups to their stories. However, Frozen brought Disney success it hadn’t seen in years. The film was mainly praised for avoiding the outdated princess tropes and overdone love stories. Instead, Frozen focuses on the dynamic between Elsa and Anna as sisters, which was refreshing in the new era of Disney.
In 2019, six years after the first film, Frozen 2 premiered, continuing Elsa and Anna’s story. While Frozen gave a satisfying end for the two, Disney couldn’t resist cashing in on another Frozen film. “Into The Unknown” became the new “Let It Go,” and Elsa once again saw herself facing her fears and venturing out into new territory. Sven and Olaf also made their return for the Disney sequel. By the end of the film, it seemed their story had concluded, but Disney has confirmed Frozen 3, and with the announcement comes some apprehensions.
Jennifer Lee Is Not Directing Frozen 3 – And That’s A Concern
Jennifer Lee directed Frozen and Frozen 2, which were both successful among Disney fans. Unfortunately, the Academy Award winner is not returning for Frozen 3. She’s also admitted that the story for the film is not her own. This is concerning because Lee knows the movie better than anyone and knows what is best for the characters. Handing the third film off to someone else could potentially ruin it. The new directors and writers will undoubtedly take the film in a different direction than Lee would have, and this might not go over well with fans.
For the first two films, Lee acted as the director, screenwriter, and creator of the films’ stories. With her departure, the Frozen franchise might be in big trouble. On the bright side, Lee will act as an advisor and recently gave her approval to the new creatives in charge. While Disney hasn’t revealed the names of those working on the film, Lee has faith that they’re working on an incredible story that will continue Frozen‘s legacy and make fans happy.
Frozen 2 Already Started A Trend Of Diminishing Returns
Another issue with a third Frozen film is that the second film already didn’t do great. Frozen fans showed up in mass amounts to see the film as they did with the first, but the reviews weren’t so great. Frozen has made $1.282 billion at the box office, with Frozen 2 surpassing it with $1.453 billion. Though, on Rotten Tomatoes, the original film has a 90{81a086e50adc416cb06a533df9c9a0c5cefc9698f6906c0f4cbe2e77960b337a} on the Tomatometer and 85{81a086e50adc416cb06a533df9c9a0c5cefc9698f6906c0f4cbe2e77960b337a} on the audience score, the sequel didn’t win over critics as well. While Frozen 2 actually had a better audience score at 92{81a086e50adc416cb06a533df9c9a0c5cefc9698f6906c0f4cbe2e77960b337a}, critics’ reviews earned it only 77{81a086e50adc416cb06a533df9c9a0c5cefc9698f6906c0f4cbe2e77960b337a} on the Tomatometer.
Unsurprisingly, Disney listened to the box office numbers over the critics’ opinions and is moving forward with Frozen 3. However, it’s rare that a film that already didn’t do well with critics in its sequel will win them over with a third film. It’s more likely critics will scrutinize a third film even more heavily and be potentially harsher with their reviews. Losing the original team behind the film likely isn’t going to make its story any better, and leaves Frozen 3 looking more and more like a cash grab for the company.
Is Frozen 3 Really Necessary For Elsa & Anna’s Story?
Frozen was the first Disney princess film to focus more on the story of two sisters than on a love story. However, the sequel gave a very satisfying ending, making Anna the queen of Arendelle and allowing Elsa to protect the Enchanted Forrest. While the sisters were physically separated, they were emotionally more connected than ever. The ending of Frozen 2 also sees Anna and Kristoff get engaged, meaning the third film could focus on their wedding or pick up after they have already tied the knot.
There is potential for the third film when it comes to Anna and Kristoff’s relationship, but diving back into Anna and Elsa’s sisterhood might seem dragged out and redundant. The third movie could potentially reunite them, but since the Frozen 2 story for Elsa was already pretty similar to the first film, it’s hard to imagine filmmakers could come up with an innovative story that the movies haven’t already touched upon. Frozen 3 will likely be a box office hit, but that doesn’t mean it’s necessary for the franchise.