Are Encanto and Frozen the same movie?
Disney films are often known for their unique styles, even compared to other Disney properties. For example, Big Hero 6 is nothing like The little Mermaid Where Peter Pan. That said, while most films share distinct differences in tone and style, they also share some key similarities. A good example of two distinctly different movies also being similar is Encanto and Frozen. Beyond the obvious differences, it becomes clear that the stories of the films are nearly identical.
When Frozen came out, it was one of the biggest movies ever released by Disney; from its songs to its characters, there isn’t an aspect that hasn’t been universally loved by its fans. EncantoThe release of also garnered a similar response thanks to its catchy songs, impactful story, and lovable characters. Corn according to Quora User Gabriel Bell, the films, despite existing in two separate worlds, share multiple story elements that make them practically cousins in terms of storytelling. Encanto even throws a direct reference to Frozen when Bruno tells his sister Pepa to “let it go”.
To begin with, both stories follow the quest for a traditional hero. In Frozen, Anna travels through a dangerous snowstorm to find her sister, who ran away after her ice magic powers spiral out of control. In Encanto, Mirabel is tasked with saving her home, which is losing its magic, by reuniting her family, who secretly harbor deep resentment and stress over the way they lived their lives. Both leads also have family members who inadvertently caused a rift in their family life and were forced to leave.
The similarities between Elsa and Bruno are more than superficial. As mentioned earlier, Elsa deals with her people who misunderstand her ice powers by running away and inadvertently causing more trouble as a result. Likewise, Bruno’s ability to see into the future caused him to hide from his family because everyone blamed his powers of prophecy for their misfortunes. It also didn’t help that Mirabel was the focus of his vision of the collapsing house, meaning he also accidentally placed suspicion on his niece. Both characters also have strong ties to magic that define their character and drive the story forward. Elsa’s powers are even weather-related, like Pepa’s rain powers.
Another similarity is the movies’ surprise antagonists. In Frozen, Hans comes across as the kind prince of the textbooks who wants nothing more than Anna’s happiness. But it is later revealed that he actually wants to rule Arendelle, even if it means killing the princesses. The twist was unknown to the Disney Prince characters at the time, which surprised many audience members. Encanto has his own villain subversion by having Abuela Alma’s fear of losing his family again being the main cause of his overbearing nature and the house losing its magic. However, although she acts like an antagonist, she is not a true villain as everything she does is out of love and she does not realize the consequences of her actions.
What makes these films even more similar to but distinct from the pack is how their messages subvert the classic “prince saves the princess” trope. In FrozenAnna and Elsa save each other metaphorically and literally, and the love between the sisters is the key to saving Anna and bringing Elsa home. Encanto shows Mirabel acting like the princess of the film and being the smart, headstrong hero who rescues Bruno from his isolation rather than the other way around. The way these movies defy expectations shows just how deep their similarities run. It also demonstrates that Encanto and Frozen represent a new era of Disney movies poised to tackle even deeper themes.
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