Disney Announces New Sequels, Frozen, Toy Story, and Zootopia in the Works

Disney CEO Bob Iger announced that sequels for Frozen, Toy Story, and Zootopia are currently in the works. This news was announced during the company’s Q1 earnings call on February 8.

“Today I’m so pleased to announce that we have sequels in the works from our animated studios to some of our most popular franchises, Toy Story, Frozen, and Zootopia,” Iger declared. While he could not share any additional information about the animated films’ productions and release dates, he explained how this development is an example of Disney leaning into its “unrivaled brands and franchises.” 

The news came with quick fanfare and enthusiastic reactions. 

TOY STORY 5 FROZEN 3 AND ZOOTOPIA 2 pic.twitter.com/eZQcJIpuAH

— stephen (@dialofdestiny) February 8, 2023

Me watching Disney’s Toy Story 5, Frozen 3, and Zootopia 2 in theaters pic.twitter.com/sKtiCg9Ri3

— BLURAYANGEL 🦇 (@blurayangel) February 9, 2023

The most recent films in the franchises mentioned above were commercial and critical successes for the company. Each grossed over $1 billion while racking up its impressive array of nominations and awards. 

Frozen 2 (2019) grossed over $1.45 billion, becoming the second highest-grossing animated film of all time and totaling the franchise’s earnings to $2.73 billion. The film’s breakout song, “Into the Unknown,” was nominated for Best Original Song at the 92nd Academy Awards and peaked at 46 on the Billboard Hot 100 before being certified 3x platinum.

The sequel went on to earn Golden Globe and Critic’s Choice Movie Award nominations. In total, the Frozen film franchise has grossed over $2.73 billion. Both the first and second film’s soundtracks topped the Billboard Hot 200. In addition, the original Frozen soundtrack, which has the iconic “Let It Go,” has been certified 8x platinum, while the Frozen 2 soundtrack has been certified 2x platinum. 

Toy Story 4 is another installment in an already iconic and beloved film series. The film grossed $1.02 billion and earned two Oscar nominations at the 92nd Academy Awards. One nomination was Best Original Song for Randy Newman’s “I Can’t Let You Throw Yourself Away” and the second, which it also won, was Best Animated Feature. In total, the Toy Story franchise has earned $3.03 billion. Given that Toy Story originally came out in 1995 and has only continued to grow in popularity, it is no wonder Disney wants to revisit the franchise.

Zootopia (2016) made $1.02 billion at the global box office, becoming the second-highest Walt Disney Animation Studios film of all time (behind Frozen, of course).

Widely acclaimed, the American Film Institute chose the movie as one of the top ten films of 2016 and won Best Animated Feature at the 89th Academy Awards and Best Animated Feature Film at the 74th Golden Globes. The film was so popular that Disney released a spin-off series called Zootopia+ in 2022 on their streaming service.

Disney is no stranger to sequels and franchises, and for that, we are thankful. Judging from the quality of Frozen, Toy Story, and Zootopia, we can not wait to see what each of their sequels will entail. You can click here for more information regarding the company’s Q1 earnings call. While fans wait for more details, all three movies are available to stream on Disney+. You can click here to read more exciting Disney news.