Which 1844 fairy tale inspired Disney’s Frozen?

Hans Christian Andersen’s 1844 fairy tale “The Snow Queen” inspired Disney’s Frozen.

The original story follows a girl named Gerda who searches for her friend Kai after the Snow Queen takes him away. Frozen preserves broad ideas involving winter, magic, and a powerful snow queen, but it does not directly reproduce Andersen’s plot or characters.

Disney’s film transformed the central concept into the story of sisters Anna and Elsa. Elsa’s role combines the fairy tale’s wintry imagery with a new emotional conflict about fear, isolation, and controlling unusual abilities. Anna’s journey is driven by her effort to reconnect with Elsa and save their kingdom.

The film’s development changed significantly before release. Elsa was initially imagined more directly as a villainous Snow Queen, but the creative team reshaped her into a sympathetic protagonist and made sisterly love the story’s emotional center.