Set in the land of Arendale, Myth: A Frozen Tale was created as a virtual reality experience to coincide with the release of Frozen 2. Now it has been adapted for audiences everywhere as a 2D experience coming to Disney+ on February 26, 2021.
Director Jeff Gipson approached Myth as a bedtime story that might be told if you grew up in Arendale. He also took inspiration from classical Disney films. “Looking at films like Fantasia, the pink elephant sequence in Dumbo, Make Mine Music, Peter and the Wolf, I just loved how the animation was married to that music. It almost moves exactly with that music.”
Myth highlights the four elemental spirits featured in Frozen 2, with each having a unique visual and musical identity. “I wanted each element to have their own score,” says Gipson. “Joe (Trapanese, the composer) leaned into that, looking at Peter and the Wolf .”
With the visual inspiration of pop-up books and shadow puppets, Gipson asked Brittney Lee to join the project as the production designer. Lee is known for her elaborate paper cut art, making her a perfect aesthetic match.
“The art of Eyvind Earle and his work on Sleeping Beauty was really informative with an elegant shape language, very graphic and stylized,” according to Lee. “We really looked to his artwork to begin the framework of styling the space.” Lee seamlessly blended her artistic style, with inspiration from Earle, into the existing visuals from the Frozen franchise.
You can see how this Arendale bedtime story came together when you watch Myth: A Frozen Tale on Disney+ on February 26, 2021.
About Myth: A Frozen Tale
A family gathering for an evening of bedtime stories sets the stage for a magnificent adventure to a colorful and mythical world, which includes close encounters with the Nokk (a water spirit in the form of a mighty stallion), Gale (the playful wind spirit who can manifest as a light breeze or a raging tornado-like force), the Earth Giants (the massive creatures that form the rocky riverbanks and are capable of intense destruction when awakened), and the Fire Spirit (a fast-moving and mercurial salamander named Bruni). As the story unfolds, these spirits come to life and the myth of their past and future is revealed.