'Frozen' Is Officially Headed to Broadway
Frozen mania isn’t
going to thaw anytime soon.
The animated film -- which earned over $1 billion at the box
office worldwide and produced a short film sequel, Frozen Fever -- is officially headed to Broadway. Disney Theatrical
Group, which is behind the successful Aladdin
and The Lion King productions,
announced that a musical adaptation will open in the spring of 2018 (after a pre-Broadway engagement in the summer of 2017) with a score written by Robert Lopez and Kristen
Anderson-Lopez. The writing partners, who are also married, wrote the film’s
original music, earning an Academy Award for Best Original Song for “Let It Go.”
MORE: Channing Tatum Gives 'Let It Go' New Life With Epic 'Lip Sync Battle' Performance
News of a stage version was first announced in 2014 when Disney CEO
Bob Iger said that Frozen would “be
going to Broadway." Later that year, Thomas Schumacher, president of
Disney Theatrical Group, said that he was “already talking to directors,” but added
they weren’t in a rush to produce it. In the time since, little details were
formerly announced.
MORE: Anna and Elsa Are Back With 'Frozen Fever' Trailer!
In July of 2015, Lopez and Anderson-Lopez told The New York Times they were “writing about
a dozen new songs” for a stage adaptation, offering fans some hope that the
Broadway musical was still on track.
While “Let It Go” is expected to be a centerpiece of the
show, no other specific details about the music or plot were announced.
Frozen fever could
reach new heights thanks to the news of the musical and the film’s upcoming
sequel. In 2015, it was announced that Frozen
2 was officially in development. However, no official date or details for
the film have been released.
Although, directors Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee revealed how
Frozen is connected to Tarzan, leaving many to speculate what’s
in store for the franchise’s future.