Beginning in July, Frozen fans can follow Anna, Elsa, Olaf, Kristoff and Sven on an epic adventure to restore the glimmer of the Northern Lights.
“Natural phenomenon meets cultural phenomenon in this all new story, Frozen Northern Lights,” said Andrew Sugerman, executive vice president, Disney Publishing Worldwide, in a statement. “We’re excited to share this new adventure and offer fans great new ways to connect with their favorite characters thanks to a host of related books, digital games and activities.”
The story, titled Disney Frozen Northern Lights: Journey to the Lights, published by Random House, will be introduced as a deluxe novel in July, ahead of an extended collection of books featuring the familiar characters as well as a brand-new protagonist named Little Rock. The story line will be reimagined by the LEGO Group with four new animated shorts and a full compilation airing on Disney Channel this fall. The shorts, according to a press release, “will bring the unique brand of stylized animation and witty LEGO humor to the world of Frozen, with the voice talent from the movie reprising their roles.” TVLine.com reports that returning characters include Anna (voiced by Kristen Bell), Elsa (Idina Menzel), Olaf (Josh Gad), Kristoff (Jonathan Groff) and Sven (Frank Welker).
In celebration of Frozen Northern Lights, the website Frozen.disney.com/ will be updated with activities tied to the new story.
As previously reported, in addition to the Broadway-bound musical Frozen, which is expected to make a spring 2017 debut in Denver with a Broadway premiere in 2018, and the immersive theme park theatre experience, Frozen – Live at the Hyperion, which began performances May 27 at California's Disneyland Resort, a third stage production based on the international hit film is in the works.
This third production will be seen on the Disney Cruise Line. Rehearsals are scheduled to begin in Toronto at the end of the summer.
Sheryl Kaller, the Tony-nominated director of Next Fall, is attached to the production, according to a Disney casting notice. She will join forces with choreographer Joshua Prince (Beautiful, Shrek) and artistic and production editor Ed Whitlow.
The 2013 Frozen film, which won the Oscar for Best Animated Feature, is based on Hans Christian Andersen's story The Snow Queen, about a princess with the double-edged power to freeze things at will. It warmed up the box office, however, earning more than $1.3 billion worldwide. Voices for the original film were supplied by Idina Menzel, Bell, Jonathan Groff, Josh Gad and Santino Fontana. Songwriters Robert and Kristen Anderson-Lopez penned the award-winning “Let It Go.”
