It appears as though we are heading back into the unknown once again. CEO Bob Iger has revealed that Frozen 3, Toy Story 5 and a Zootopia sequel are in the works in a bid to capitalize on Disney’s highest-grossing properties. Iger referred to these animated giants as “unrivaled brands”, and since all of them grossed oer $1 billion at the worldwide box office, it’s hardly a surprise that they’re getting sequels. The news was announced following Disney’s Q1 earnings call, but Iger has said that more details concerning the sequels will come “soon.”
Frozen 2 dominated at the box office earning over $1.4 billion, and the fun thing with Frozen is that the possibilities are endless. The hit sequel introduced some brand new elements that were incredibly playful… Why stop there? Toy Story 4 ended up grossing just over $1.07 billion, but it’s spin-off Lightyear, however, just scraped past $225 million. With a fifth film in the works, it’ll be interesting to see whether Toy Story has any juice left in the tank. For Zootopia, while earning a bit less than Toy Story 4, proved to be a force of nature all by itself. With a spin-off show on Disney+, the world of Zootopia proved that there are many stories waiting to be explored.
At the moment, we’re not sure where these films will take us, but what we do know is that Elsa, Anna, Woody, and the many creatures of Zootopia will return to the big screen with new adventures, new friends, and brand new challenges.
Unfortunately, this good news also comes with some bad news. While Iger is focusing on giving audiences fresh content to enjoy via a major restructuring that will split Disney into three separate divisions- Entertainment, ESPN, and Parks- the company will also be downsizing. To start of with, 7000 jobs are being cut as part of a push to save $5.5 billion. A total of $3 billion in content costs is also looking to be shed, so many of Disney’s plans could change quite drastically. It’s a shame to add such a dampener on some really good news, especially with Warner Bros. Discovery’s cuts still fresh on our minds.
As Disney gradually transitions, we may see even more changes. Of course, we’ll be sure to keep you updated regarding these exciting sequels, and we’ll also explore eventually what Disney’s restructuring means once more information becomes available.
