New FROZEN Short To Appear Ahead Of CINDERELLA Movie

Walt Disney Animation Studios’ all-new short “Frozen Fever,” which welcomes Anna, Elsa, Kristoff and Olaf back to the big screen, will open in theaters on March 13, 2015, in front of Disney’s CINDERELLA, a live-action feature inspired by the classic fairy tale.

Directed by Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee, and produced by Peter Del Vecho and Aimee Scribner, with an all-new original song by Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez, “Frozen Fever” marks the first project reuniting the Oscar-winning original team from Disney’s FROZEN.

In “Frozen Fever,” it’s Anna’s birthday and Elsa and Kristoff are determined to give her the best celebration ever, but Elsa’s icy powers may put more than just the party at risk.

FROZEN won two Academy Awards (best animated film and best original song with “Let It Go”) and a Golden Globe (best animated feature film). It is the fifth highest grossing film of all time and the highest grossing animated film earning more than $1.27 billion globally. Released wide domestically on Nov. 27, 2013, FROZEN posted the No. 1 industry all-time Thanksgiving debut and Walt Disney Animation Studios’ biggest opening ever. The film’s Feb. 25 digital debut was the biggest digital release (sell-through) ever; it’s Blu-ray/DVD release on March 18 was No. 1 on the Nielsen overall disc charts for eight nonconsecutive weeks. The “Frozen” soundtrack is the top-selling album of 2014 to date and spent 33 weeks in the top 5 on the Billboard 200 chart, including 13 weeks at No. 1. It is certified triple Platinum, selling more than 3.6 million units. The “Let It Go” film clip from FROZEN has been viewed over 370 million times on YouTube.

A live-action feature inspired by the classic fairy tale, CINDERELLA brings to life the timeless images from Disney’s 1950 animated masterpiece as fully-realized characters in a visually-dazzling spectacle for a whole new generation.

The story of “Cinderella” follows the fortunes of young Ella (Lily James) whose merchant father remarries following the death of her mother. Eager to support her loving father, Ella welcomes her new stepmother (Cate Blanchett) and her daughters Anastasia (Holliday Grainger) and Drisella (Sophie McShera) into the family home. But, when Ella’s father unexpectedly passes away, she finds herself at the mercy of a jealous and cruel new family. Finally relegated to nothing more than a servant girl covered in ashes, and spitefully renamed Cinderella, Ella could easily begin to lose hope. Yet, despite the cruelty inflicted upon her, Ella is determined to honor her mother’s dying words and to “have courage and be kind.”

She will not give in to despair nor despise those who mistreat her. And then there is the dashing stranger she meets in the woods. Unaware that he is really a prince, not merely an apprentice at the Palace, Ella finally feels she has met a kindred soul. It appears her fortunes may be about to change when the Palace sends out an open invitation for all maidens to attend a ball, raising Ella’s hopes of once again encountering the charming Kit (Richard Madden). Alas, her stepmother forbids her to attend and callously rips apart her dress. But, as in all good fairy tales, help is at hand, and a kindly beggar woman (Helena Bonham-Carter) steps forward and — armed with a pumpkin and a few mice — changes Cinderella’s life forever.

The film stars Cate Blanchett, Lily James, Richard Madden, Stellan Skarsgård, Holliday Grainger, Derek Jacobi and Helena Bonham Carter.

Directed by Kenneth Branagh from a screenplay by Chris Weitz, “Cinderella” is produced by Simon Kinberg, Allison Shearmur and David Barron.

Check out the newly released character posters from CINDERELLA.