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'Frozen 2' is coming, 'Star Wars: Episode VIII' will be in 2017, Disney says

Disney announced that 'Frozen 2' is moving forward and that the second new 'Star Wars' film, 'Star Wars: Episode VIII,' will be released in May 2017 and that Rian Johnson of 'Looper' will write and direct.

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Disney/AP
'Frozen' stars Idina Menzel.
  • By Associated Press

Let it go (on)! The Walt Disney Co. has announced plans to make a sequel to the animated mega-hit "Frozen."

At the company's annual shareholders meeting in San Francisco on Thursday, Disney executives officially announced plans for "Frozen 2."

Since its release in November 2013, "Frozen" has become a juggernaut for Disney. It made nearly $1.3 billion at the global box office and generated a massive merchandising revenue stream. The film also won the Oscar for best animated feature. Because of that enormous success, a sequel has been widely expected. The original film starred Kristen Bell and Idina Menzel as sisters Anna and Elsa, respectively, who are divided by Elsa’s powers over snow and ice. When Elsa inadvertently plunges their kingdom into winter, Anna must try to find her and settle their differences. The movie co-starred Jonathan Groff and Josh Gad.

Walt Disney Co. chief executive Bob Iger says directors Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee will return for the sequel.

A "Frozen" short is to play in front of Disney's latest release, "Cinderella," which opens in theaters Friday.

Meanwhile, "Star Wars: Episode VIII" will blast into theaters on May 26, 2017, Disney Chairman and CEO Bob Iger announced at a shareholder meeting.

Rian Johnson, known for the innovative time travel film "Looper," is confirmed to write and direct. "Episode VIII" will take place after the events of "Star Wars: The Force Awakens," which opens Dec. 18.

Iger also announced that the first in a series of big-screen "Star Wars" stand-alone films is titled "Rogue One." Gareth Edwards ("Godzilla") will direct off of a script from Chris Weitz ("About a Boy").

Felicity Jones, who earned an Oscar nomination for her performance in "The Theory of Everything," is set to star in "Rogue One," which will shoot in London this summer for Dec. 16, 2016, release.

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