The icy hype is brewing! It is a month away before we see Elsa, Anna, Kristoff, Sven, and Olaf again in Australian theatres. For those who are too excited to see Frozen 2, you can go to the UK or US and watch it there since they have it a week early. Whether you see it earlier than the release date in Australia or a bit later, it does not matter – as long as you do not spoil it for other Frozen fans who won’t be able to see it the same time as you would (wink).
The first Frozen is such a blockbuster film that it has already created a cult following of its own apart from the main Disney princess genre. In fact, it is the only animated Disney princess movie whose sequel was made for the silver screen. Not all Disney princess flicks have sequels, and for the few like Cinderella 2 and 3, Pocahontas 2, Little Mermaid 2, and Mulan 2, they were made to be direct-to-video films.
Because we are all excited to see it, there are some things we anticipate in this new Frozen movie. The story and characters have greatly made a mark on us that it has raised the bar, and fans hope and expect the sequel will be able to reach or go beyond it.
The Songs
We can’t forget the songs of the first Frozen! Most, if not all of its songs, penetrated mainstream music.
Elsa’s “Let It Go” is so catchy that every kid (even grown-ups too) can sing the lyrics by heart during the first 12 months after the movie was released in theatres. Many people are able to relate with the liberating message of the song. “Let It Go” won the Academy Award for Best Original Song and the Grammy Award for Best Song Written for Visual Media.
Will Elsa, Anna, and others sing some new songs at par or even better than what they sang in the first Frozen? For the meantime, let's sing along with the Queen. The cold will not bother us anyway!
The Villain[s]
Another unique thing about Frozen that sets it apart from other Disney princess movies is that it has no magical or overly strong villain. Usually, the protagonists of Disney princess films are ordinary humans who are up against witches, dragons, gigantic brutes, or sorcerers (OK, Cinderella had a wicked stepmother for a villain – unless you propose that being so was the result of some evil magic). There’s the feeling that the antagonist is more powerful than the heroine of the story, and that she needs a prince to rescue her and defeat the enemy (except for Mulan) – with Frozen, it's different!
The villain in Frozen was not evident until you watch it to the end. The revelation of Prince Hans' true character and intention was a “twist” that surprised the viewers – another first for a Disney princess film. We can also say that the real villain in the first Frozen was Queen Elsa’s inner turmoil which she needed to overcome for Arendelle to survive.
Are you anxious to see what our friends in Arendelle will be up against?
Why and How Did Elsa Have Powers?
The first movie is silent about the source and reason for Elsa’s wintery powers. Was Elsa born with them or did she get them as a gift or a curse? Did Elsa's mother have these powers? Hopefully, this mystery gets cracked in Frozen 2.
What’s with the Trolls?
Frozen is a spinoff of the fairy tale, Snow Queen, written by Hans Christian Anderson. In the original story, the Snow Queen (which is personified by Elsa in Frozen) and the trolls are evil. Seeing the spin in Frozen is not surprising since Disney is well-known to adapt classic stories and make “slight” changes from the original tale.
Yet, many fans are asking, “How come the trolls know so much about Elsa and her family”? What’s their involvement with Elsa’s supposed curse?
The Fate of the Parents
Elsa and Anna are orphan sisters but blessed with being progenies of the royal family. Elsa, being the older one, ascends to the throne after news of their parents being shipwrecked at sea. The viewers had the chance of seeing the scene when the ship was ravaged and sunk by the storm.
However, we don't really know what happened to them – it is just implied that they tragically passed away. Maybe they survived (or one of them did) and now marooned on some island. In fact, a scene from the Frozen 2 teaser shows Elsa attempting to cross the sea. Did she hear of some news that her parents are still alive, so she wants to try and rescue them?
The trailers released by Disney for Frozen 2 show us glimpses on what to expect in the new movie. They look exciting and teasing enough to fascinate the fans, who mostly have grown up since the first Frozen. Expectations are high but we are certain that Disney won't disappoint! What other things do you want to see in Frozen 2? Tell us about them.