Disney announces sequel to hit animation ‘Frozen’

The blizzard continues: Frozen 2 is coming to cinemas. The Walt Disney Co on Thursday used its annual shareholder meeting to make several movie announcements, the biggest being about a big-screen follow-up to Frozen, the animated musical that took in more than $1.3 billion (€1.2bn) globally in 2013.

Disney provided no details about the story or a release date but said the directors and producer of the first film would return for the second. A sequel helps assure the long-term viability of what has become one of Disney’s most crucial franchises.

Sales of Frozen-related merchandise now total roughly $1 billion (€0.9bn) annually and helped power Disney to a record $7.5 billion (€7bn) in profit last year. Frozen has also been fast-tracked for Broadway, and a Florida theme park attraction is in the works.

“We’re going back to Arendelle,” John Lasseter, chief creative officer for Walt Disney Animation Studios, told the crowd, referring to the kingdom in “Frozen.” The film follows two Nordic princesses, one of whom has the magical power - not always controllable - to conjure snowstorms, and their goofball snowman sidekick, Olaf.

Disney held its annual meeting at the Palace of Fine Arts Theater, which is a few blocks from its Lucasfilm unit, and used the moment to reveal that a previously announced Star Wars spinoff movie, set for release next year, will be titled Rogue One.

Additionally, Disney revealed that Star Wars: Episode VIII will be released in theaters in May 2017. Episode VII arrives this December.

New York Times