Walt Disney Studios has made an official announcement regarding their new animated feature Frozen, and along with it comes the first full synopsis. The film was actually borne out of the long development of The Snow Queen, which was put on hold in 2010 due to story issues. The pic came back with a new title and a November 2013 release date, and now Disney has confirmed a voice cast consisting of Kristen Bell and Idina Menzel, with Broadway vets Robert Lopez (The Book of Mormon) and Kristen Anderson-Lopez (Winnie the Pooh) tapped to pen original songs for the feature.Bell voices a young dreamer named Anna who teams up with âa daring mountain manâ to find the Snow Queen (Menzel) and put an end to a spell that has trapped their kingdom in eternal winter. Chris Buck (Tarzan) is onboard as director, and the fairy tale-esque story combined with the addition of two talented songwriters hints that Frozen may harken back to Disneyâs earlier animated films. Hit the jump to read the full press release, which includes the synopsis.Hereâs the press release with the synopsis in bold:
BURBANK, Calif. (June 11, 2012) â Walt Disney Animation Studios presents an epic tale of adventure and comedy in âFrozen,â a computer-animated feature film slated for the big screen in November 2013. Directed by Chris Buck (âTarzan,â âSurfâs Upâ) and produced by Peter Del Vecho (âWinnie the Pooh,â âThe Princess and the Frogâ), âFrozenâ features the vocal talents of film/TV/stage star Kristen Bell as Anna, a young dreamer about to take the adventure of a lifetime, and Tony Award ®-winning actress Idina Menzel as Elsa the Snow Queen. The movie will feature original songs by Broadway greats Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez.
In âFrozen,â a prophecy traps a kingdom in eternal winter, so Anna (voice of Bell) must team up with Kristoff, a daring mountain man, on the grandest of journeys to find the Snow Queen (voice of Menzel) and put an end to the icy spell. Encountering Everest-like extremes, mystical creatures and magic at every turn, Anna and Kristoff battle the elements in a race to save the kingdom from destruction.
Bell has starred in a variety of films, including the comedies âForgetting Sarah Marshallâ and âCouples Retreat,â and the upcoming films âHit & Run,â âSome Girlsâ and the Farrelly Brothersâ âMovie 43.â On the small screen, Bell is currently starring in the Showtime series âHouse of Liesâ alongside Don Cheadle; she has also starred in âHeroesâ and âVeronica Mars.â Broadway credits include âThe Crucibleâ and âTom Sawyer.â
Menzel, who won a Tony Award® as Best Actress in a Musical for her role as Elphaba in Broadwayâs âWickedâ (2004), landed her first role on Broadway in 1995 in the Tony Award-winning musical âRent.â Film credits include âEnchantedâ and the feature film âRent.â She has appeared in a recurring role on TVâs âGleeâ and recently released âIdina Menzel Live: Barefoot at the Symphony,â a live concert with an orchestra led by composer/conductor Marvin Hamlisch. Menzel is currently on a North American concert tour.
Robert Lopez is a three-time Tony Award®-winning writer of the Tony and Grammy® Award-winning musical âThe Book of Mormon,â which was co-written with Trey Parker and Matt Stone (âSouth Parkâ), and the musical âAvenue Q,â which ran for six years on Broadway and four years in Londonâs West End. Lopez teamed with wife Anderson-Lopez, whose Drama Desk-winning show âIn Transitâ is Broadway-bound, to write original songs for 2011âs âWinnie the Pooh,â a stage version of âFinding Nemoâ and a new musical called âUp Here.â