The Hampton Script

Staff Writer: Alton Worley II

Remember 2013, when Disney’s Frozen was first released? Well, it is now six years later, and Disney has now released Frozen 2.

It would be an understatement to say that the first Frozen film created a phenomenon all around the world with its award-winning soundtrack and the movie itself winning Best Animated Feature Film at the 2014 Academy Awards and the 2014 Golden Globes. The movie also broke the record for the highest-grossing animated film in the box office in 2014, making $1.29 billion globally in its entire theatrical run and is now listed as the 15th highest-grossing film of all time.

As one of the first female-led animated movies by Disney, Frozen started a conversation. But with the second movie in the franchise now out in theaters, the question of whether or not it lives up to its predecessor has risen.

“I loved the first movie, so I was pretty excited to go see the second one, but it just didn’t live up to the hype of the first movie,” said Amaya Pratt, a Hampton University psychology major from Ruther Glen, Virginia.

A sequel can’t help but be compared to the original, and that isn’t any less true when it comes to Frozen. 

“Frozen 2 just doesn’t have the same effect the first movie did,” said Nia Sankofa, an HU marketing major from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. “It’s still a good movie, but I prefer the first one.” 

Regardless of public opinion, Frozen 2 managed to top the box office for the Thanksgiving holiday weekend and break the record for the biggest opening for an animated film. The first Frozen movie made $67.4 million on its opening weekend which pales in comparison to the amount of money that Frozen 2 made on its opening weekend: $130 million.

“I’m not surprised [Frozen 2] made that much money,” said Erica Jackson, an HU psych major from Pittsburgh. “Six years is a long time to build a fanbase.” 

As of Dec. 11, the movie had made more than $924 million worldwide and is expected to pass the billion-dollar mark before the end of its theatrical run. If Frozen 2 manages to make at least $1 billion, then it will become the sixth Disney movie that has made a billion dollars this year. It would join the ranks of Toy Story 4, Aladdin, Captain Marvel, The Lion King and Marvel Studios’ Avengers: Endgame.