By: Leanne Yuen
On Sept. 30, Walt Disney Animation Studios released their fourth trailer for the upcoming movie “Frozen 2,” the studio’s sixth feature film and third sequel of 2019, which is set to be released on Friday, Nov. 22. The newest sneak peek came just one week after the third trailer’s release, but offers a first listen to the new song “Into the Unknown” (sung by Idina Menzel) and reveals previously-unseen clips of Anna and Elsa’s journey.
The new film follows up 2013’s “Frozen”, a box office hit that grossed over $400 million domestically, and $67 million in its opening weekend. “Frozen 2” is expected to earn double those figures. Theatrical exhibition publication, Box Office Pro, projects a gross of $115-145 million domestically during the first three days of its release. Marketing techniques—including the trailers and extensive “Frozen 2” merchandise lines—contribute to the prediction of a box office blowout.
Audiences had their first look at the film in Feb. 2019, when Disney released an elusive teaser of various action shots—Elsa running into the sea, Kristoff riding a galloping Sven, Anna jumping between two cliffs—but no dialogue or hint of a plot. In June, a second trailer revealed a premonition given by Pabbie, the wise elderly troll: “Elsa, the past is not what it seems. You must find the truth. Go north, across the enchanted lands and into the unknown.”
The third trailer, released Sept. 23, provided a foundational backstory to the film. In a flashback, the King of Arendelle explains the “enchanted lands” Pabbie was alluding to—an enchanted forest in the north, which was previously “magical” but has since become forbidden after “something went wrong.” In the present, the safety of Arendelle is jeopardized—presumably related to the tensions of the enchanted forest—sparking Anna, Elsa, Olaf and Kristoff to embark on an action-packed quest for the truth.
The most recent trailer continues the emphasis on the importance of the past. New moments include a shot of the former Queen of Arendelle cradling a sleeping young Elsa, followed by present day Elsa gazing at two family portraits hanging side-by-side: one depicting Elsa and Anna as children with their parents, the other of the sisters with new friends Kristoff and Olaf. The sisters also promise that they will stick together through their adventures, although the many shots of the two battling alone suggest a possible breaking of this vow.
With the trailer’s snippet of “Into the Unknown,” audiences can anticipate the style of the film’s soundtrack. Lyrics such as “Every day’s a little harder as I feel my power grow / Don’t you know there’s part of me that longs to go / Into the unknown,” suggest deeper conflict and more complex emotions than the original film’s “Let It Go.” Co-director Jennifer Lee has stated that “the songs and score of the film reflect the growth of the characters and the deepening of their story,” and voice actor Josh Gad has claimed the sequel’s songs are “even catchier” than those of the first movie.
The release of “Frozen 2” perpetuates Disney’s recent trend of producing predominantly non-original movies. All of the company’s feature films in 2019 have been either sequels (“Avengers: Endgame”, “Toy Story 4”, “Frozen 2”, and “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” to be released later this year) or live-action/CGI remakes (“Dumbo”, “Aladdin”, “The Lion King”). Despite the lack of original features, Disney studios has enjoyed a successful year, with “Endgame” earning the highest international gross of all time and “The Lion King” not falling far behind at seventh highest gross. “Frozen 2” is expected to further Disney’s success as they build upon brand recognition and creative storytelling that has fueled their prosperity this year.
Whether Disney’s cinematic dominance will continue with “Frozen 2” is still a question of time, however. The odds favor the company, when examining the other 2019 sequels. “Endgame’s” Rotten Tomatoes score of 94 percent surpassed the 88 percent score of precursor “Avengers: Infinity War”, and “Toy Story 4” scored a whopping 97 percent. “Frozen 2” must live up to a high standard since the original notched 90 percent.