One of Frozen's most popular songs was only added after disastrous test screenings
Can you imagine a world without Do You Want to Build a Snowman?
One of the most popular songs in Disney's animated hit Frozen wouldn't have made it into the film had it not been for some disastrous early test screenings.
It seems hard to imagine now given the franchise's incredible popularity, but there was once a time where the success of Frozen was far from a safe bet.
In an interview with People TV, Olaf actor Josh Gad recalled a conversation with songwriter Robert Lopez during production where it became clear that the film was missing something important.
He said: "Bobby looks at me and he goes, 'We just screened the movie and it's a mess.' And I go, 'Well, can you fix it?' He goes, 'I hope so."
The songwriter, who worked on Frozen and Frozen 2 with his wife and creative partner Kristen Anderson-Lopez, explained they wanted a sequence that would show the affection that Anna and Elsa had for each other as children.
To accomplish that, they began work on a little song called Do You Want to Build a Snowman?, which would go on to become one of Frozen's most famous tunes.
Six months later, Gad attended a screening of the re-edited film alongside its creative team and his wife, Ida Darvish, who gave her prestigious endorsement.
Gad added: "I turn to my wife who is the most critical person I know, and she looks at me and goes: 'This is really special, this is really, really special.' And I left it there being like, 'Okay, we hit the mark. We really hit the mark.'"
Frozen went on to become the highest-grossing animated film of all time, making almost $1.3 billion and spawning a popular sequel late last year.
Frozen is available to stream on Disney+. You can sign up to Disney+ for £5.99 a month or £59.99 a year. Check out our lists of the best shows on Disney+ and best movies on Disney+, or visit our our TV Guide if you're looking for something else to watch.
Authors
David Craig is the Senior Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering the latest and greatest scripted drama and comedy across television and streaming. Previously, he worked at Starburst Magazine, presented The Winter King Podcast for ITVX and studied Journalism at the University of Sheffield.