Frozen Movies Ranked: Best to Worst
Frozen movies ranked from best to worst, in my opinion, run Frozen (2013), Frozen II, Frozen Fever, Olaf's Frozen Adventure and Once Upon a Snowman. Frozen (2013) is the best Frozen movie in my view, even though Frozen II earned more, at $1.45 billion worldwide against $1.31 billion, according to Box Office Mojo.
Key Takeaways
- My order of the Frozen movies is Frozen (2013), Frozen II, Frozen Fever, Olaf's Frozen Adventure, then Once Upon a Snowman.
- Frozen II is the bigger earner in the series, with $1.45 billion worldwide against $1.31 billion for Frozen (2013), according to Box Office Mojo, and each film cost $150 million.
- The two features carry a PG rating in the US and the three shorts carry a G, which matters if you are picking a film for a young child.
- Frozen III is dated for November 24, 2027, according to TheWrap, and I will revisit this order once it is released.
Hot Takes
- Opinion, Tessa Marlowe: Frozen Fever is a better short than Olaf's Frozen Adventure, even at well under half the running time.
- Opinion, Tessa Marlowe: Frozen II is the more ambitious film and I still would not put it first, because the sisters matter most to me and the first film keeps them closest.
- Opinion, Tessa Marlowe: Once Upon a Snowman is the right place to start a very small child, but it is the lightest entry and I rank it last for that reason.
Opinion, by Tessa Marlowe.
- 1
Frozen
Frozen (2013) is my pick for the best Frozen movie because it puts the sisters' separation at the center and never loses it. Elsa's powers, Anna's loneliness behind the closed gates and the first run of songs, including Let It Go, which won the Oscar for Best Original Song, all pull on the same thread. At 102 minutes it is tight, and it earned $1.31 billion worldwide on a $150 million budget, according to Box Office Mojo.
- 2
Frozen II
Frozen II is the more ambitious film, sending Elsa, Anna, Olaf, Kristoff and Sven to the Enchanted Forest behind a wall of mist, and I admire it for that. Into the Unknown and Show Yourself are strong songs, but in my opinion the mystery spends more time explaining than the first film needed to. It still out-earned its predecessor at $1.45 billion worldwide, according to Box Office Mojo.
- 3
Frozen Fever
Frozen Fever is the best of the shorts because it keeps the sisters at the center. Elsa wants to give Anna the best birthday party she has ever had, and her attempt to hide a cold gives the eight minutes a clear comic engine. It was the first project to reunite the original Frozen team, and its one original song, Making Today a Perfect Day, is written by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez.
- 4
Olaf's Frozen Adventure
Olaf's Frozen Adventure runs about 22 minutes and gives Olaf a holiday errand: Anna and Elsa realize they have no traditions of their own, so he sets off with Sven and Kristoff's sleigh to collect some. It has four new songs by Elyssa Samsel and Kate Anderson, and the idea of the sisters starting their first Christmas traditions is sweet. I rank it fourth because it sidelines the sisters for most of the running time, and it was pulled from Coco from December 8, 2017 after a limited run.
- 5
Once Upon a Snowman
Once Upon a Snowman is a seven minute Disney Plus short, released October 23, 2020, that shows Olaf taking his first steps after Elsa brings him to life. It was directed by Dan Abraham and Trent Correy and scored by Jeff Morrow, and it is a gentle way into the series for the youngest viewers. I place it last only because it is the slightest of the five, and I would not call it a weak film.
How I Ranked the Frozen Movies From Best to Worst
I ranked the Frozen movies on three things: how well the story serves the bond between Anna and Elsa, how well the songs carry that story, and how well the film rewards a second or tenth viewing. That is an opinion and not a measurement, so the order is mine alone. There are five titles, the two features, Frozen (2013) and Frozen II (2019), and the three shorts, Frozen Fever (2015), Olaf's Frozen Adventure (2017) and Once Upon a Snowman (2020). I place the shorts after the features, because a seven minute short cannot do what a 102 minute film does, and then I order the shorts among themselves on charm.
The final order is Frozen (2013), Frozen II, Frozen Fever, Olaf's Frozen Adventure and Once Upon a Snowman. If you are asking which is the best Frozen movie, or which is my favorite Frozen movie, the answer is the first film. If you want the viewing sequence instead, see frozen movies in order.
What Are the Key Differences Between Frozen 1 and Frozen 2?
The main difference is scale: frozen 2013, directed by Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee, stays inside one closed castle and one fractured sibling relationship, while frozen 2 goes out into the Enchanted Forest, behind a wall of mist, to chase a mystery about the past. The first film begins with young Elsa's powers, the trolls and the shut castle gates. The sequel begins with a strange singing voice that calls to Elsa, which wakes the elemental spirits and forces Arendelle to evacuate.
The music differs too. Frozen (2013) gave us Let It Go by Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez, which won the Oscar for Best Original Song, along with For the First Time in Forever. Frozen II has seven new songs, according to SlashFilm, among them Into the Unknown and Show Yourself. Disney also made a Northern Sámi version of the sequel with the Sámi Parliamentary Council and the Saami Council. Both films run about 100 minutes (102 and 103) and both cost $150 million, so the gap between them is ambition and not budget. Paradoxically, I think that is why the first film wins: it asks one question and answers it well.
Is Frozen the Most Successful Disney Movie?
Within this series, Frozen II is the most successful, with $1.45 billion worldwide according to Box Office Mojo, ahead of the $1.31 billion that Box Office Mojo lists for Frozen (2013). The Numbers gives a lower worldwide figure for the first film, so the exact total depends on the tracker you trust. Whether either film is the most successful Disney movie overall depends on whether you count inflation, reissues or Disney's live action titles, and I will not make that claim without a source that compares them. For the full table, see frozen box office.
What Movie Is Similar to Frozen?
Moana is the film I would reach for first, and that is a taste match and not a box office comparison. Inside the series, the closest substitute for a short evening is Frozen Fever, which keeps the sisters at the center of an eight minute birthday story where Elsa tries to hide a cold. If you want the characters rather than the plots, start with elsa frozen, anna frozen and olaf.
Where Does Frozen III Fit?
Frozen III is dated for November 24, 2027 in the US, according to TheWrap, and it cannot be ranked until it is released. The order above therefore covers released films only. For the latest on the date and cast, see frozen 3, and for where to stream the current five, see where to watch frozen. If you are planning a family night, my practical advice is to start with Frozen (2013), follow it with Frozen Fever, and save Frozen II for the second evening.
FAQs
What are the key differences between Frozen 1 and Frozen 2?
Frozen (2013) is a contained story about two sisters kept apart in one closed castle, while Frozen II sends Elsa, Anna, Olaf, Kristoff and Sven north to the Enchanted Forest to uncover what happened in the past. Both were directed by Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee and both cost $150 million. Frozen (2013) has Let It Go, and Frozen II has seven new songs, according to SlashFilm.
Is Frozen the most successful Disney movie?
Not within its own series: Frozen II earned $1.45 billion worldwide, ahead of $1.31 billion for Frozen (2013), according to Box Office Mojo. Whether either film is Disney's most successful overall depends on how you measure it, and a ranking of Disney's whole catalog is a different question.
What movie is similar to Frozen?
In my opinion Moana is the film to reach for first, and that is a matter of taste and not a measured comparison. Within the series, Frozen II, Frozen Fever and Olaf's Frozen Adventure keep the same characters and the same musical style.
What is the best Frozen movie?
In my opinion the best Frozen movie is Frozen (2013). It keeps the story focused on Anna and Elsa, it has Let It Go, which won the Oscar for Best Original Song, and it is tighter than the sequel. Frozen II is second in my ranking.
Where does Frozen Fever rank?
Frozen Fever ranks third in my order, ahead of Olaf's Frozen Adventure and Once Upon a Snowman. It is an eight minute short about Anna's birthday, directed by Jennifer Lee and Chris Buck, and it streams on Disney Plus in the US, UK and Australia, according to JustWatch via TMDB, checked November 3, 2026.
Which Frozen movie is best for young children?
The three shorts are rated G in the US, so Frozen Fever, Olaf's Frozen Adventure and Once Upon a Snowman are the gentlest options, while Frozen (2013) and Frozen II are rated PG. In the UK, Frozen (2013) is rated PG and Frozen II is rated U.