I Genuinely Can’t Watch “Frozen” The Same Way After Learning These Facts
There were only a few movies in the 2010s that garnered as much obsession as the Disney [https://www.buzzfeed.com/noradominick/classic-disney-trivia-quiz] animated film Frozen. Following the success of Tangled [https://www.buzzfeed.com/briangalindo/disney-animated-movies-trivia-quiz], it felt like princess movies were back on a whole new level. You couldn’t go into a store without some Olaf memorabilia or “Let It Go” blasting on the radio. Here are 21 cool Frozen movie facts that will make you go watch it again on Disney+.
Although it may be surprising, Frozen, released in 2013, was the first Disney film directed by a woman [https://variety.com/2021/film/directors/frozen-uplifting-new-voices-jennifer-lee-disney-journey-1235108711/]. Directors Jennifer Lee and Chris Buck collaborated on the project, making Lee the first woman to direct a Disney animated film in 52 projects.
Filmmakers even invited a real-life reindeer onto the set [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2294629/trivia/?item=tr2038386&ref_=ext_shr_lnk] to better understand the animal’s behavior, which helped in creating the character of Sven. (Yes, the reindeer, not the funny-looking donkey.)
Opening weekend for Frozen was, well, cold. The film only made $67.4 million in its first three days. Turns out, word of mouth and positive reviews did most of the work afterward, and the movie went on to earn a staggering $1.28 billion [https://www.boxofficemojo.com/release/rl357926401/] worldwide—yes, that “B” is BILLION.
In the story, Elsa is confirmed to be 21 years old [https://disney.fandom.com/wiki/User_blog:Leon_Sealite-Rex/The_Actual_Ages_Of_Disney_Princess_%26_Prince], making her the oldest Disney princess [https://www.buzzfeed.com/mccarricksean/which-disney-princes-are-you] ever! Meanwhile, Hans is 23 [https://disney.fandom.com/wiki/Hans], and interestingly, he is the youngest villain in a non-Pixar Disney film. (Sid from Toy Story is technically younger, but he’s more a troubled child than a villain.)
“Let It Go,” arguably one of Disney’s most iconic songs [https://www.buzzfeed.com/kaileyhansen/best-disney-songs], was surprisingly easy to write. Composers Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez finished a demo in just one day [https://www.billboard.com/music/pop/idina-menzel-let-it-go-frozen-songwriters-chorus-interview-7775309/].
The opening song, “Do You Want To Build A Snowman?” nearly didn’t make it into the film. Kristen Bell, who voices Anna, revealed it was almost cut at the last minute: “[The song] was not put back in the film until the witching hour before we released it” [https://www.businessinsider.com/do-you-want-to-build-a-snow-almost-cut-from-frozen-2014-8].
Frozen’s setting, Arendelle, is based on real Norwegian towns [https://www.fjordtours.com/en/norway/people-and-culture/the-real-norwegian-towns-that-inspired-frozen]. Bergen, in particular, influenced the design of the buildings and the town’s waterfront.
Interestingly, Elsa was originally conceived as the villain. In the original fairy tale “The Snow Queen,” the queen is the bad character. Her alternate character design was quite sinister and cold [https://screenrant.com/frozen-elsa-original-villain-different-look/].
The names Kristoff, Hans, and Anna all pay homage to Hans Christian Andersen, the writer of the original “The Snow Queen” story [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2294629/trivia/?item=tr2010011&ref_=ext_shr_lnk].
The cast recorded their lines together—a rare practice in animation voice work [https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=Uz5wSZ6X_HE], which may have contributed to the natural chemistry in the film.
Elsa’s hair was such a complex feat of animation that it took nearly half a million strands [https://disneyanimation.com/technology/elsas-hair-journey/] to create.
Originally, Sven the reindeer was going to be called Thor, a nod to Marvel’s Norse god [https://aminoapps.com/c/disney/page/blog/animals-edition-sven/wKWB_MW4ToupPMQWJWbevnaqxGwP8jNaxlQ], but Disney’s Marvel acquisition might have influenced the change.
Oaken, the friendly shopkeeper, is voiced by Disney storyboard artist Chris Williams [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2294629/characters/nm0930261/], who also contributed to beloved films like Mulan, Moana, and The Emperor’s New Groove.
“Let It Go” is a global phenomenon, available in 41 languages [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BS0T8Cd4UhA], thanks to auditions held worldwide [https://www.npr.org/2014/02/24/282081061/let-it-go-a-global-hit-in-any-language].
Elsa is notable as the first Disney princess shown crowned as a queen [https://www.reddit.com/r/disneyemojiblitz/comments/zqeibp/explain_to_me_why_elsa_isnt_a_princess/], marking a unique moment in Disney history.
The snow monster was originally a much less intimidating character. The initial version was just a large Olaf who was more brotherly than scary [https://celebrationspress.com/2020/11/23/6-things-you-may-not-know-about-olaf/].
During the scene where Olaf counts to 60 to leave Anna alone with Elsa, he exactly counts to 60 seconds—down to the second [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CuFLaSqNvQk].
Actor Alan Tudyk voiced both King Candy in Wreck-It Ralph (2012) and Wesselton in Frozen (2013), showcasing his versatility within Disney movies [https://movieweb.com/alan-tudyk-every-disney-animated-movie/].
Elsa’s ice castle changes colors to mirror her emotions, behaving like a mood ring—dark for anger, warm when she’s calm [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCrMLqGaRow].
Initially, Kristoff was supposed to punch Hans, but the filmmakers decided it would work better with Anna’s intervention. Hans’s sneaky demeanor is implied when he’s caught rubbing his chin [https://www.reddit.com/r/MovieDetails/comments/81yu2h/in_frozen_hans_rubs_his_chin_while_getting_up_at/].
Finally, you can rewatch Frozen on Disney+ [https://www.disneyplus.com/browse/entity-04c97b72-504b-47f2-9c6f-fe13d9aea82f] and savor all these hidden gems again.
What’s your favorite Frozen moment? Comment below!
