when did frozen 1 was released? The Walt Disney Animation Studios movie Frozen opened in U.S. theaters on November 27, 2013. Its premiere took place eight days earlier, on November 19, at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood.
The wording can be confusing because a premiere, a wide theatrical release, and a home-video release are different events. Here are the dates, how the film rolled out internationally, and how its release compares with Frozen II.
when did frozen 1 was released?
Frozen was released in U.S. theaters on November 27, 2013. That is the date most people mean when they ask when the first movie came out. It was the film’s nationwide theatrical opening in the United States, not its first public screening anywhere.
The movie had its world premiere on November 19, 2013, at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood. A premiere is a special first screening, often attended by cast and filmmakers. It does not mean the movie was already playing in theaters across the country.
Disney’s animated feature is officially titled Frozen. Calling it “Frozen 1” is a convenient way to distinguish it from the sequel, Frozen II, which arrived in 2019. The first film’s original U.S. release date remains November 27, 2013.
Why you may see more than one release date
Release dates can vary depending on what a source is recording. A premiere date, a theatrical opening date, and a DVD date all refer to different stages of a movie’s release. International openings also happened on different dates, since distributors schedule films market by market.
For a simple answer, use November 27, 2013, for the U.S. theatrical release. If a date appears a little earlier, it may refer to the Hollywood premiere or an opening in another country. If it is several months later, it may refer to a digital or disc release.
| Milestone | Date | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Hollywood world premiere | November 19, 2013 | A special first screening in Los Angeles |
| U.S. theatrical release | November 27, 2013 | The film opened to U.S. moviegoers |
| U.S. digital release | February 25, 2014 | The movie became available for digital purchase |
| U.S. Blu-ray and DVD release | March 18, 2014 | Physical home-video editions went on sale |
| Frozen II U.S. theatrical release | November 22, 2019 | The feature-length sequel opened in theaters |
The table separates dates that are often mixed together online. For a question about when the original movie came out, the U.S. theatrical date is the clearest reference point.
How the 2013 theatrical release unfolded
Frozen opened in the United States and Canada on November 27, 2013, the day before Thanksgiving. The holiday timing gave families extra opportunities to see it during the long weekend. The film then remained in theaters as audiences continued to attend through the holiday season and beyond.
The opening was part of a broader international rollout. Disney scheduled releases in many countries around late 2013, but not every market got the movie on the same day. For example, the United Kingdom’s opening was December 6, 2013, while Japan’s theatrical release was March 14, 2014.
Those differences do not indicate that one date is incorrect. A movie can open in one country while still awaiting its local release elsewhere. Local distribution schedules, holiday calendars, and language versions can all affect timing.
When comparing release dates, check which country a listing refers to. A film database may show a U.S. date, a world premiere, or a date for a particular national market. Each can be accurate while answering a slightly different question.
What is the official title of the first movie?
The first movie is titled Frozen, without a number. “Frozen 1” is an informal label used by viewers, searchers, and retailers to separate it from the sequel. The official title is useful to know when looking up the original film, its cast, or its credits.
The story follows sisters Anna and Elsa in the fictional kingdom of Arendelle. Elsa’s ability to create ice and snow becomes difficult to control, and Anna sets out to find her. The film draws loosely on Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale “The Snow Queen,” but its characters and plot are a distinct Disney story.
The main voice cast includes Kristen Bell as Anna, Idina Menzel as Elsa, Jonathan Groff as Kristoff, and Josh Gad as Olaf. The characters’ songs and the sisters’ relationship became central parts of the movie’s popular identity.
Its release date is sometimes confused with dates for later Frozen projects, short films, or the sequel. Checking the title and format helps: the original feature film is Frozen (2013), and its U.S. theatrical opening was November 27, 2013.
When did the movie reach home video?
The theatrical opening was not the only important date for viewers. In the United States, Frozen became available for digital purchase on February 25, 2014. Its Blu-ray and DVD release followed on March 18, 2014.
Home-video dates can differ by country and by format. Digital purchase, rental, DVD, and Blu-ray are separate release types, and a particular store may list a date for only one of them. Streaming availability is another matter: it can change over time and vary by region.
If you are trying to find the movie now, search for the official title, Frozen, and check the services available in your location. A search result that says “released” may refer to the original theater date, not the date it became available on a particular streaming platform.
This is a common source of confusion: a streaming date is not the film’s original release date. The movie first opened in U.S. theaters in November 2013, even though viewers may have watched it at home later.
How the first film’s date compares with the sequel
Frozen II is the feature-length sequel to the 2013 movie. It opened in U.S. theaters on November 22, 2019, nearly six years after the first film’s U.S. release. The two dates are close on the calendar, but they belong to different movies and different theatrical runs.
Shorter Frozen projects also appeared between the features. These include animated shorts connected to the franchise, such as Frozen Fever and Olaf’s Frozen Adventure. They are not the original movie or the second feature film, so their dates should not be used as the answer to when the first movie was released.
| Title | U.S. release date | Best for identifying |
|---|---|---|
| Frozen | November 27, 2013 | The original feature film |
| Frozen Fever | March 13, 2015 | A short sequel story shown with another film |
| Olaf’s Frozen Adventure | November 22, 2017 | A holiday-themed short feature |
| Frozen II | November 22, 2019 | The second feature-length movie |
The dates in this comparison refer to U.S. releases. Short films may have had limited theatrical runs or appeared alongside other movies, so their release details do not follow the same pattern as a full-length theatrical opening.
Who made Frozen?
Frozen was made by Walt Disney Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures. Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee directed the film, with Lee also writing the screenplay. Peter Del Vecho produced it.
The songs were written by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez. “Let It Go,” performed in the film by Idina Menzel as Elsa, became the best-known song from the movie. Its broad popularity helped bring the film to audiences beyond its original theater run.
The film’s production involved a large animation team and a long development process. Its snowy setting required the artists to create convincing ice, snow, and winter environments while keeping the characters and action easy to read. These visual choices helped establish Arendelle as a distinctive setting without changing the basic release-date answer.
At the 86th Academy Awards in 2014, Frozen won the awards for Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song for “Let It Go.” Those awards came after the film’s 2013 theatrical release; they are later milestones, not alternate release dates.
What made the film a notable release?
The Thanksgiving opening placed Frozen in a busy moviegoing period, when families often have time to visit theaters. The film’s appeal also reached beyond its initial audience through repeat viewings, songs, merchandise, and later home-video availability. That long run of attention can make the movie feel newer than its original release date.
Its story put the relationship between two sisters at the center of a fairy-tale adventure. Anna and Elsa do not follow the same path, and their conflict and care for each other drive the plot. That focus helped set the film apart from stories built mainly around a romantic pairing.
The songs gave the story memorable moments that audiences could recognize outside the theater. “Let It Go” became especially associated with the film, while “Do You Want to Build a Snowman?” and “For the First Time in Forever” also help establish the sisters’ relationship and the story’s emotional changes.
The movie’s awards and cultural reach explain why people still ask about its original date. They do not change the calendar: the U.S. theatrical release was November 27, 2013, and the Hollywood premiere was November 19.
Quick way to verify which date a source means
Before using a date from a search result, look for the country, release format, and title. These three details usually explain why two listings show different dates. A page that simply says “release date” may not make its market or format clear.
- Confirm the title. Check that the listing is for the original Frozen, not Frozen II or a short film.
- Check the country. The U.S. opening was November 27, 2013; other countries had their own theatrical dates.
- Check the event. A premiere, theater opening, digital release, and DVD date are not interchangeable.
- Use the date that matches your question. For the U.S. theater debut, use November 27, 2013.
This quick check is especially useful when a movie page combines international dates into one list. It also prevents a home-video or streaming date from being mistaken for the first theatrical release.
Common questions about the release
Was Frozen released in 2013 or 2014?
It was released in 2013 in U.S. theaters, with its opening on November 27. The film reached U.S. home video in 2014, which is why some listings or memories may connect it with that year.
Did Frozen premiere before its U.S. release?
Yes. Its Hollywood world premiere was November 19, 2013, eight days before the U.S. theatrical opening. A premiere is an advance screening, not the nationwide release.
Was the movie released everywhere on the same day?
No. The U.S. release was November 27, 2013, but international dates varied. Some countries received the film later, including Japan in March 2014.
When did the sequel come out?
Frozen II opened in U.S. theaters on November 22, 2019. That date applies to the sequel, not the original movie.
Is “Frozen 1” the film’s official title?
No. The first movie’s official title is Frozen. The number is commonly added informally to distinguish it from the sequel.
Frozen opened in U.S. theaters on November 27, 2013. Its earlier Hollywood premiere was November 19, while its digital and disc releases followed in 2014.
If you need one date for when did frozen 1 was released, use November 27, 2013, and specify that you mean the U.S. theatrical release. Check the country and format if another source lists a different date.