Get ready to head back into the unknown. Disney animated films ‘Frozen,’ ‘Toy Story,’ and ‘Zootopia‘ have been greenlit for sequels. The news was announced during Wednesday’s Q1 earnings call by Disney CEO Bob Iger, his first since returning to the company.
“Today I’m so pleased to announce that we have sequels in the works from our animation studios to some of our most popular franchises, ‘Toy Story,’ ‘Frozen’ and ‘Zootopia,’” says Iger. “We’ll have more to share about these productions soon, but this is a great example of how we’re leaning into our unrivaled brands and franchises.”
‘Frozen’ quickly became a household favorite when it premiered in 2013. With Kristen Bell and Idina Menzel as its leads, the sequel ‘Frozen 2’ garnered just as much attention in 2019. It got so popular that the musical version made its way to Disneyland’s Hyperion Theater and later to Broadway. ‘Toy Story’ stars the voices Tom Hanks and Tim Allen as Woody and Buzz Lightyear, becoming a beloved franchise since its debut in 1995. It even expanded its own universe with the release of ‘Lightyear’ in 2022 with Chris Evans as the lead.
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The Box Office Success Of ‘Frozen’, ‘Toy Story’, and ‘Zootopia’
This should come as no surprise as all three films have had major success at the box office worldwide. ‘Frozen’ (2013) earned 1.2 billion with its sequel ‘Frozen 2’ (2019) earning 1.4 billion, and both ‘Toy Story 4’ (2019) and ‘Zootopia’ (2016) grossed over one billion.
On top of their financial success, these films have all taken home plenty of awards. ‘Toy Story 3,’ ‘Toy Story 4,’ ‘Frozen,’ and ‘Zootopia’ have all received Best Animated Feature at the Oscars. Frozen’s hit original song “Let It Go” (sung by Broadway superstar Idina Menzel) won Best Original Song at the 2020 Academy Awards.
The animation giant has released plenty of amazing titles such as ‘Luca,’ ‘Raya and the Last Dragon‘ and ‘Encanto,’ which also won Best Animated Feature at the 2022 Academy Awards. However popular, none of these titles were able to achieve the financial success of the aforementioned films.
But Do We Need More Sequels?
Some may say there’s no need for a sequel to these films but I think, there are plenty of stories left to tell. What type of adventures (or misadventures) can the sisters get into now that Elsa is the Snow Queen and Anna rules as the Queen of Arendelle? How expansive has Zoopotia become since the last film? And while Woody and Buzz may have parted ways (for now), there’s always something that brings the duo back together, plus we all would love to see a post-college Andy.
Those who are craving original stories can look forward to Pixar’s ‘Elemental’ this summer and ‘Wish’ from Walt Disney Animation in the fall.
Other Movies Similar to ‘Frozen’ and ‘Toy Story:’
- ‘Frozen II‘ (2019)
- ‘Toy Story 2‘ (1999)
- ‘Toy Story 3‘ (2010)
- ‘Toy Story 4‘ (2019)
- ‘Lightyear‘ (2022)
