Disney Reveals Plan To Recreate ‘Harry Potter’ With ‘Frozen 3′

There was a time after Frozen was released when you could not escape “Let It Go”. Now, it seems Disney aren’t about to let Frozen go with its new multi-movie franchise plan.

Related: The Best Disney End Credit Songs, Ranked

Frozen (2013) has become crucial to Disney’s contemporary success after its surprising popularity among younger audiences when it debuted. The animated film features memorable “Disney Princess”-style characters Queen Elsa (Idina Menzel) and Princess Anna (Kristen Bell), and became a blockbuster hit at the box office, achieving one of the highest-grossing statuses in animation history. The iconic cast also featured Santino Fontana as Prince Hans of the Southern Isles, Jonathan Groff as Kristoff, and Josh Gad as Olaf the Snowman.

Going beyond its triumph at the box office, the film paved the way for a highly profitable franchise, complete with merchandise and theme park attractions such as Frozen Ever After. The enduring popularity of the film series owes much to its top-ranking soundtrack, prominently featuring the unforgettable song “Let It Go”. Frozen’s lasting impact on culture, widespread appeal, and critical recognition, including two Academy Awards, have firmly established it as a key pillar of Disney’s success in the contemporary era.

Going even further beyond its financial achievements, Frozen has evolved into a cultural touchstone of sorts for younger generations. The franchise has naturally extended its reach into a sequel, titled Frozen 2 (stylized as Frozen II). This sequel introduced new members to the cast, including Evan Rachel Wood as Queen Iduna (the mother of Elsa and Anna), Alfred Molina as King Agnarr (the father of Elsa and Anna), Sterling K. Brown as Lieutenant Destin Mattias, Jason Ritter as Ryder Nattura, Rachel Matthews as Honeymaren, and Jeremy Sisto as King Runeard.

With such massive success within the franchise, the previously announced Frozen 3 is perhaps going to

Related: Disney Shows Off New ‘Frozen’ Land Plans in Exciting Update

The Harry Potter Formula

The success of the Harry Potter film franchise can be attributed to a combination of factors that blended together to create a cinematic phenomenon. The films adapted J.K. Rowling’s children’s book series of the same name, bringing the magical world she created to the big screen. This resonated with existing fans, as well as brought in new ones with every additional installment (there were a whopping seven books turned into eight movies).

The charismatic cast also helped its success along, with the chemistry and talent of Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint, portraying the iconic trio of Harry, Hermione, and Ron, brought an authenticity and charm to the characters. As the actors matured alongside their characters over the course of eight films, audiences developed a deep emotional connection with the protagonists. This connection, coupled with the meticulous production design, exceptional visual effects, and John Williams’ iconic musical score, created a cinematic experience that ensured the Harry Potter films would become a cultural phenomenon that transcended generations.

All of this naturally translated into financial success — with the combined global box office revenue for all eight Harry Potter films exceeded $7.7 billion, making it one of the highest-grossing film franchises of all time.

Now, it appears that The Walt Disney Company are eyeing similar strategies for their own magic-based

Disney’s Frozen 3: New Strategies For Magical Success

In a massive swing toward past multi-movie franchise successes, it appears that The Walt Disney Company is not content to let Frozen‘s money-making potential go to waste.

The similarities between Frozen and Harry Potter are much more significant than one would think. Namely, they both are aimed at younger audiences, they are both set in fantasy worlds that include protagonists with mysterious powers trying to uncover the mystery of their pasts (which come to haunt them in the present), they both have charmingly talented casts — and rather importantly, both impressive musical scores

Naturally, The Walt Disney Company is looking to past successes to inform current ones (and hopefully, ones in the future). According to Frozen and Frozen II director Jennifer Lee (via reported Scott Gustin), it appears that Disney is anticipating a story “so epic” that the third Frozen film is likely going to split into two parts — not unlike the approach undertaken by Warner Bros. with the adaptation of “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows”, splitting the story arc into “Part One” and “Part Two”:

Jennifer Lee talking about Frozen 3 and 4:

“We are deeply excited about the story we are shaping together, and it’s so epic it may not fit into just one film.”

Jennifer Lee talking about Frozen 3 and 4:

"We are deeply excited about the story we are shaping together, and it’s so epic it may not fit into just one film." pic.twitter.com/q31E59hwbU

— Scott Gustin (@ScottGustin) November 22, 2023

Gustin continues quoting Lee, who expands on The Walt Disney Company’s next steps for their Walt Disney Animation Studio division:

Lee said the team has “about ten projects currently in development” – and that includes new, original projects as well as the continuations of stories from Zootopia and Frozen.

[text in image] As we celebrate Disney’s past with its 100th anniversary this year, let’s chat about its future. Where do you want to take Disney Animation?

We are working on so many exciting new, original projects we hope to share soon as well as the continuations of stories from characters and worlds we love like Zootopia and Frozen. We have about ten projects currently in development, and each of them is so exciting.

Lee said the team has "about ten projects currently in development" – and that includes new, original projects as well as the continuations of stories from Zootopia and Frozen. pic.twitter.com/Taf0eDLrf7

— Scott Gustin (@ScottGustin) November 22, 2023

Fans were quick to notice the “Frozen 3: Part One” and “Frozen 3: Part Two” Harry Potter similarities, with users like @GumShoeGoof chiming in:

“It’s like Elsa and the Deathly Hallows!”

"It's like Elsa and the Deathly Hallows!"

— Pete da Disneyland Bound Goof (@GumShoeGoof) November 22, 2023

Overall, it appears as if Disney is set on turning Frozen into a significantly more “epic”, magic-filled adventure. It’s fairly obvious that taking pointers from a multi-part franchise like Harry Potter — and even Marvel Studios’ Avengers: Infinity War (2018) and Avengers: Endgame (2019), and to a larger extent, the Twilight Saga franchise — is the direction that Disney is planning to take.

Is Disney milking Frozen a little bit too much? Are you excited to see what Frozen 3 (and maybe Frozen 4, or Part One and Part Two) have to offer? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

This post is originally appeared on Inside the Magic.