Deleted Frozen Scene Disney Totally Doesn't Want You to See

Nearly a decade has passed since Disney's Frozen first graced the silver screen. As another musical offering from the studio, it was set to transcend expectations, and eventually became one of Disney's most successful ventures, captivating global audiences and generating revenues beyond anyone's wildest imaginings.

Even today, Frozen remains one of Disney's highest-grossing films, having raked in an impressive $1.29 billion at the box office. Its financial triumph was later surpassed only by its sequel, which made $1.45 billion, and the 2019 remake of The Lion King, which grossed $1.66 billion.

The narrative follows Elsa, the future queen of Arendelle with a potent affinity for ice magic, and her younger sister, Princess Anna. The tale encapsulates themes of love and acceptance, underscoring the significance of family and diversity in keeping with Disney's cherished traditions. Yet, it introduces a darker tone than one might typically expect from the company. One scene was so intense that it ended up on the cutting room floor: otherwise, the film would not have been appropriate for younger audiences.

Few are aware that Elsa was originally conceived as the story's villain. With her formidable ability to conjure blizzards and summon snow giants, she could have been the ultimate adversary akin to iconic characters like Maleficent or the Evil Queen. However, Disney took a different route and reimagined Elsa as the protagonist.

Despite this change, Elsa isn't entirely virtuous. She is a complex character whose icy powers have the potential to cause harm. In one scene, for example, a shard of ice almost impales a guard's neck. Furthermore, originally, Elsa was to have used her snow magic to restrain the guards, which would have introduced an even more menacing layer to her character. However, the scene demonstrating that particular power of hers was eventually cut so children watching the film would not get scared of her, and she could remain a character audiences could sympathise with.

Including such a scene could have provided Elsa with additional depth and injected the narrative with more tension.

But, producers figured that level of depth and complexity was more than the target audience could handle and had it removed.

Fortunately, there was plenty more complexity left, and in the final cut, Elsa quite successfully walks the fine line between character depth and relatability, which ultimately is what probably made the movie such a hit with kids.