Disney has had a good string of non-Pixar animated since John Lasseter took over the team. From TANGLED, WINNIE THE POOH, BOLT, and WRECK-IT RALPH can attest, Disney would not be completely lost without an annual contribution from Pixar.
The latest film from Disney Animation will be next year’s FROZEN featuring the voices of Kristen Bell and Idina Menzel. FROZEN will be directed by Chris Buck (Disney’s TARZAN, SURF’S UP) and Jennifer Lee. Lee will also write the screenplay, a job she most recently did for WRECK-IT RALPH.
Plot: Walt Disney Animation Studios presents “Frozen,” the coolest comedy-adventure ever to hit the big screen. When a prophecy traps a kingdom in eternal winter, Anna (voice of Kristen Bell), a fearless optimist, teams up with extreme mountain man Kristoff and his sidekick reindeer Sven on an epic journey to find Anna’s sister Elsa (voice of Idina Menzel), the Snow Queen, and put an end to her icy spell. Encountering mystical trolls, a funny snowman named Olaf, Everest-like extremes and magic at every turn, Anna and Kristoff battle the elements in a race to save the kingdom from destruction.
That image above is our first look at the tone and style Buck and Lee are going for. It reminds me a lot of the first production images from TANGLED. So, if FROZEN can tap into that same success, Disney may have another female role model to market a ton of toys for.
FROZEN is slated to open on November 27, 2013.