Disney may have tipped its magical hand a little too early with the first footage from Frozen 3, which revealed a couple of important plot details about the threequel. The movie reunites Anna (Kristen Bell), Elsa (Idina Menzel), Olaf (Josh Gad), and Kristoff (Jonathan Groff) next year, ending an eight-year wait since Frozen 2 hit theaters in 2019. The franchise has become one of Disney's biggest brands, with the original Frozen earning $1.2 billion and its sequel surpassing it at an even more impressive $1.45 billion. Fans finally got their first real taste of the next chapter at D23 a few months ago, but some of that footage may have revealed more than was needed.
Frozen 3's first footage debuted at D23 Expo 2026 in August, where Bell, Menzel, and Gad took the stage to reveal some of the secrets Disney has been keeping close.
The clip opens with a glowing butterfly-like creature flying over the kingdom, through a grand hall, toward Elsa. It's a sweeping view of the kingdom on what turns out to be the night of Anna and Kristoff's wedding, a payoff to Kristoff's proposal at the end of Frozen 2.
Amid the celebration, Elsa, rocking a new pink dress, picks up the blue "butterfly" that has frozen solid into what appears to be a glowing blue crystal.
Olaf also gets a moment of his own by snagging Anna's bouquet, setting up his already confirmed love-interest story arc. This is when Anna, Kristoff, and Olaf ride up on Sven to find Elsa on the dock studying the crystal. It's clear that the two were just married, and this is during the reception.
Before long, the crystal begins to glow in Elsa's hand, creating a sweeping portal of light that resembles the Northern Lights. Anna wonders, "Is our wedding being crashed?" To which Elsa replies, "We're about to find out," leading the group into the unknown.
Anna needs help with her dress, and Sven obliges, while Kristoff looks confused and frozen (no pun intended), and his new bride is not thrilled by his lack of assistance. "You're a terrible husband," Olaf then said to Kristoff with a smile.
This exclusive Frozen 3 clip spoiled a major early twist involving Elsa and Anda, confirming that they will leave Arendelle almost immediately after the wedding for a brand-new, mysterious dimension. This twist is exciting because it completely changes Frozen 3 for the better, as moving away from a familiar location creates many storytelling opportunities that would elevate the characters and the franchise.
On the other side is an entirely new, snow-covered dimension world. It feels similar to a step into a frost-covered Narnia from the real world. Menzel described the realm on the D23 stage as "a frozen land more wild and dangerous than anything Elsa has ever created."
The footage paints it in pale blues and snowy whites, with more icy butterfly flowers fluttering all over the place. It seems pretty desolate, and Anna says to her sister, "Well, this is new."
Once inside, the heroes run into a mysterious new villainess. The crystal turns back into the fluttering little creature and flies away from Elsa, sharply scratching her face on the way. As it reaches the top of the hill, a villainous hand reaches out to snatch it.
Somehow, these creatures and the teased new enemy are connected to each other, and to this alternate plane of existence.
The new big bad of the Frozen franchise doesn't have a face yet, but the footage offers plenty of other glimpses. One moment follows her all-black style of pants and spiked, icy heels as frost spreads with every step.
The most striking shot shows her from behind, with an ice cape of jagged shards flowing around her as she menacingly (and confidently) approaches Anna, Elsa, and Olaf.
She greets them by saying, "Look at what the Northern Lights dragged in," before remarking that she's finally meeting Arendelle's famous sisters. She's no stranger to them, but the familiarity doesn't seem mutual.
Judging by all that frost and ice, she seems to wield powers somewhat similar to Elsa's. That would make her the first main villain in a Frozen movie with magic of her own. She's also the first female main enemy.
The History of Frozen Villains
The original film's big bad, Hans (Santino Fontana), relied on charm and a sword in his scheme to take Arendelle's throne. Frozen 2 skipped a traditional villain altogether, with the sisters instead uncovering the decades-old betrayal of their grandfather, King Runeard (Jeremy Sisto).
Disney has been hinting at a true villain for a while, too, with 2024 concept art showing a shadowy, horned figure lurking in a river's reflection.
Disney Animation chief Jared Bush raised the stakes even higher in a recent chat with Collider, calling her "someone who may be more powerful than Elsa."
In terms of broad appeal, setting up a superhero-style battle between these two ice-powered figures could be a major win. Also, Disney has been missing a new, iconic villainess. There's even a chance that the new mystery figure could be just the beginning, with Frozen 4 coming soon after the third; her story may not be complete by the 2027 film's end.
Bush added that she's already been recorded several times, but the actress behind the role remains a secret, as Bell, Menzel, and Gad kept her identity under wraps at D23.
