After Disney announced a second sequel to its smash hit, Frozen (2013), many fans wonder what elements are even left to cover for the sister-duo of princesses turned queens of Arendelle in Frozen III, but there’s one opportunity Disney hasn’t yet leaned into: a hardcore sister fight.
Credit: Disney
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Frozen tells the story of two estranged princesses within the Norwegian-inspired kingdom of Arendelle, adapting the Hans Christian Anderson tale of the “Snow Queen” for a modern audience. In the film, crown princess Elsa (Idina Menzel) hides her fabulous ice powers from all, even her beloved sister, driving a rift between them that escalates when she lashes out at her coronation, eventually accidentally freezing princess Anna’s heart, with younger sister Anna rescuing herself with an act of true love.
Audiences worldwide fell in love with the movie for its quality animation, heartfelt themes, and show-stopping musical numbers by composer couple Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson Lopez like “Let It Go.” Of course, the film handles many intense emotions, from Anna’s feelings of abandonment, Olaf (Josh Gad)’s innocent desire for summer, Kristoff’s initial skepticism about romance, and Elsa’s self-doubt and insecurity about her ability to control her powers and protect the ones she loves.
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However, one note it failed to address explicitly was the anger and betrayal Anna must have felt after being apparently shunned by her older sister for no reason without explanation, as well as Elsa’s frustration that Anna can’t leave well enough alone and be happy with the normal life her older sister will never get to have. In fact, an older version of the soundtrack addresses it with the song “Life’s Too Short” and its subsequent reprise, which sees Anna and Elsa’s heartwarming reunion turn sour as their differences get the better of them, leading to a riveting and fast-paced volley of insults as tensions rise.
It’s wrong in all the right ways, and after two films, a Broadway musical, stage versions at Disneyland and Walt Disney World, and two short films about the lengths to which the sisters will go for one another out of love, it would be both authentic and original to see them finally come to blows (temporarily, of course) as all real siblings do. Although Disney removed the number in favor of “First Time in Forever (Reprise)” as the plot adapted to place Elsa in the role of an introverted recluse rather than a nationally beloved celebrity, its themes about Elsa feeling alienated and unrecognized due to her abilities and Anna’s worry that shes disposable because she’s the second born would be an interesting thread to pull on now that Elsa abdicated to her sister at the close of the second film.
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Additionally, a source of inspiration might come from another unused demo, this time from Frozen II (2019), a cut duet between Anna and her love interest Kristoff (Jonathan Groff) on the night he proposes marriage. “Get This Right” is sweet, heartfelt, and vulnerable, even concluding with Anna herself proposing after Kristoff can’t seem to bring himself to do it out of fear he’s not good enough for a princess when he’s just a humble ice-monger raised by woodland trolls.
As the recently released animatic makes abundantly clear, Kristoff feels he doesn’t deserve his new title or his marriage with Anna due to her status and grace, something which her becoming queen could only exacerbate. Despite the fact that he already proposed in the second film, these anxieties were barely addressed (if at all), making it a perfect inspiration for the third film’s interpersonal conflict now that Anna and Elsa live separately in different realms if Disney doesn’t want to go the route of making them have a sibling dispute.
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All in all, it will be interesting to see how Queen Anna takes on this next challenge after assuming the throne and how her relationship with Elsa has adjusted after finding out her sister is the fifth spirit. Certainly, the Walt Disney Animation Studios already has some solid storylines developed, just ripe for this new Frozen film if it needs them.