Kristen Bell and Idina Menzel Return as Anna and Elsa to Narrate Real Animals

Josh Gad drops in as Olaf, and a 'Frozen 3' producer says the original animators are part of the Nat Geo series too.

Anna, Elsa and Kristoff are narrating a nature documentary. Kristen Bell, Idina Menzel and Jonathan Groff are back as the voices of the three for The Real Frozen, a working title for a National Geographic series about real animals getting through brutal winters in Iceland, Finland, Norway and Sweden, Deadline reported Monday. Josh Gad turns up now and then as Olaf.

The cast isn't the only thing Disney is bringing back. Christina Chen, a producer on Frozen 3, said the series will also include the "original 'Frozen' animators" who bring the characters to life, according to The Hollywood Reporter and TheWrap. So the show isn't just famous voices laid over wildlife footage. The people who drew the movie are working on a show that's mostly about real animals.

Nat Geo says it'll treat the characters as if they lived in the actual Nordic landscapes that inspired the films, THR reported. In the network's pitch, the animals' loyalty, grit and bonds mirror the heart of the franchise. Bell, Menzel and Groff split the narration, and the network describes the storytelling as whimsical.

Walt Disney Animation Studios is a partner, but Silverback Films is making the series for National Geographic, Deadline reported. Jeff Wilson directs for Silverback. Every episode carries director and producer credits for Silverback's Elisabeth Oakham and Katie Parsons, while Janet H. Vissering is Nat Geo's executive producer. The series will premiere on the Nat Geo channel and stream on Disney+ and Hulu.

It's a familiar move by now. THR counted The Real Frozen as the fourth of these real-world versions of Disney cartoons. The first three were Lion, a real-life take on The Lion King; the Emmy-winning A Real Bug's Life; and The Real Finding Nemo, which is still on the way.

Courteney Monroe, president of National Geographic Content, explained the strategy in a statement Deadline published, saying Nat Geo wants to reach kids through "stories kids love and parents trust." With an Emmy already on the shelf, the line has given Disney reason to keep raiding its animation vault.

The timing helps, too. Frozen 3 is set to open in theaters Nov. 24, 2027, TheWrap reported, so the nature series could keep the sisters in front of families during the wait.

Wilson didn't pretend the show was all science. He said the real world of Frozen is "every bit as magical as the animated version, with a sense of wonder and even perhaps a wink," according to Deadline.

Source: Deadline, retrieved November 10, 2026. Other sources: The Hollywood Reporter, TheWrap.