File this under best news ever: Walt Disney CEO and Chairman Bob Iger knows the entire world has (rightfully!) fallen in love with the studio's Golden Globe-winning feature Frozen, so what does he want to do next? Take it to Broadway, of course! According to Fortune magazine, the hit animated film will follow in the huge footprints of The Lion King, Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid and Aladdin, and head on over to the Great White Way. Disney Theatrical Productions also confirmed that Frozen is in early development for the stage.
"We're not demanding speed," Iger told Fortune. "We're demanding excellence." Frozen, which has already grossed $669 million at the box office, is loosely based on Hans Christian Andersen's The Snow Queen, and features the voices of Kristen Bell, Idina Menzel, Jonathan Groff, Josh Gad and Santino Fontana. The film tells the story of a spunky princess who sets off on an epic journey alongside a rugged, thrill-seeking mountain man, his loyal pet reindeer, and a magical talking snowman to find her estranged sister, whose icy powers have trapped the kingdom in eternal winter.
The score for Frozen, which is co-written by Avenue Q and The Book of Mormon Tony winner Robert Lopez and his wife Kristen Anderson-Lopez, features a slew of wonderful and unforgettable songs, including "Let It Go," "Do You Want to Build a Snowman?," "Love is an Open Door" and "Fixer Upper." Frozen is only the fourth animated film soundtrack to reach No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart. Even Beyoncé was no match for the unflappable Frozen.
No time frame has been set for the Broadway adaptation of the sure-to-be Oscar-nominated flick, but that doesn't mean we can't already begin dream casting the musical and fantasizing over how the theater maestros will bring Elsa's snow magic, the Valley of the Living Rock, the North Mountain and, most importantly, Olaf and Marshmallow to life. Let your imaginations run wild!
In the meantime, watch the clip of "Let It Go" for the 800 gazillionth time and remember that all is right with the world. Enjoy!