Evan Rachel Wood (Westworld, Thirteen) and Sterling K. Brown (This Is Us, The People v. O. J. Simpson: American Crime Story) are likely joining the voice cast of Disney’s computer-animated musical fantasy sequel Frozen 2. If they end up participating in the film, they will join returning stars Kristen Bell (Princess Anna of Arendelle), Idina Menzel (Arendelle’s queen and Anna’s elder sister, Elsa) and Josh Gad (Olaf, the enchanted snowman).
Frozen hit theaters in November 2016; following its theatrical run, it won two Academy Awards, one Golden Globe, one BAFTA Award, five Annie Awards, two Grammy Awards, and two Critics’ Choice Movie Awards. Inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s The Snow Queen, the film is one of Disney’s most successful animated movies, grossing $1.27 billion at the worldwide box office and expanding the Frozen brand to various commercials, animated short spinoffs, and musical adaptions. A feature-length sequel was inevitable, and Frozen 2 is putting the final touches on its voice cast in order to meet a November 27, 2019 release date.
Although Wood and Brown are poised to join Frozen 2’s voice cast, their roles remain a closely guarded secret. Wood just received an Outstanding Lead Actress 2018 Emmy nomination for her excellent performance in Westworld, while Brown received the same nomination (in the male category) for his work in This is Us. Considering their recent critically-acclaimed achievements, Wood and Brown’s roles in Frozen 2 might be of the significant-leading-character variety.
Jennifer Lee, the recently promoted Chief Creative Officer at Walt Disney Animation Studios, will partner with Chris Buck to direct the film. Lee will also write the screenplay, as she did with Frozen.