Wreck-It Ralph Co-Writer Directing Disney Animation's Next Movie, Frozen

Walt Disney Animation announced earlier today that Wreck-It Ralph co-writer Jennifer Lee will co-direct Frozen, their upcoming animated comedy starring Kristen Bell. Wreck-It Ralph was released on November 2 and has already grossed more than $150 million domestically for a nearly $200 million worldwide box office. "Jenn has a real connection to the film and creates dynamic and relatable characters," said Frozen producer Peter Del Vecho. "Her sense of comedy, adventure and story structure paired with Chris Buck's vast experience and incredible instincts create an ideal situation for this film." Disney describes the plot as follows: When a prophecy traps a kingdom in eternal winter, Anna, a fearless optimist, teams up with extreme mountain man Kristoff and his sidekick reindeer Sven on an epic journey to find Anna's sister Elsa, the Snow Queen, and put an end to her icy spell. Encountering mystical trolls, a funny snowman named Olaf, Everest-like extremes and magic at every turn, Anna and Kristoff battle the elements in a race to save the kingdom from destruction. Bell will play Anna, with Enchanted's Idina Menzel set to star as the Snow Queen. Glee's Jonathan Groff is rumored to be playing Kristoff. In addition to Wreck-It Ralph, Lee's screen adaptation of John Steinbeck's The Acts of King Arthur and His Noble Knights is being produced by Troika Pictures. She has an original screenplay in development with Leonardo DiCaprio's Appian Way, and her original script Lucid Dreams was optioned by Wolfgang Peterson's Radiant Productions. Buck has worked on Disney classics like The Little Mermaid and The Rescuers Down Under, and is best known for direcing Disney's animated Tarzan.