New Frozen Short Drops Before 3 and 4 — Release Date Set
Arendelle returns sooner than you think: Disney executive Paul Gitter says a brand-new Frozen short will arrive before Frozen 3’s November 24, 2027 theatrical debut—setting the stage for both the third and fourth films.
Arendelle season is back on the calendar. Disney is dropping a brand-new Frozen short in October, and yes, it is designed to light the fuse for Frozen 3 in 2027.
The short arrives in October
Disney exec Paul Gitter says a fresh Frozen short film lands in October as part of the annually recurring Frozen Fan Fest, the company’s franchise push that bundles new product drops with digital content for fans.
"Frozen has proven to be a powerhouse brand for Disney Consumer Products and is expected to be one of our largest efforts ever, with strong execution planned across the entire Disney ecosystem - from new in-park experiences like Disneyland Paris' World of Frozen to new film and streaming content," Gitter said.
He framed the short as the official countdown starter for the next feature and the front edge of a full-court marketing press.
"We’re excited to kick off the countdown to Frozen 3 with a new short this October, ahead of our biggest-ever cross-company movie marketing campaign in 2027."
Title and story details are still under wraps; the timing and placement inside Fan Fest say plenty about how broadly Disney plans to blast this thing out.
The long game: Frozen 3 and Frozen 4
Frozen 3 hits theaters November 24, 2027. Jennifer Lee is steering both Frozen 3 and Frozen 4, shifting her focus back to filmmaking after serving as Walt Disney Animation Studios' chief creative officer. She co-directed the first two films, so this is very much back to home base for her.
The core cast is back, and the microphones are already getting a workout. In January, Josh Gad hinted the gang had started recording for the sequel.
Who’s back in the booth
- Kristen Bell as Anna
- Idina Menzel as Elsa
- Jonathan Groff as Kristoff
- Josh Gad as Olaf
The bigger Frozen play
Disney is syncing short-form content with show-to-shelf merchandise aimed at both die-hards and new audiences, while expanding the world in parks (Disneyland Paris' World of Frozen) and on screens. The October short serves as the on-ramp to that 2027 mega-campaign, with Fan Fest acting as the annual pit stop where Disney floors it.