Fans of last year’s animated smash-hit Frozen will get to see an imagining of what that film’s two heroines look like in live-action when the characters of Elsa and Anna appear on the season premiere of Once Upon a Time, Sept. 28 on ABC. Georgina Haig guest-stars as Elsa, Elizabeth Lail plays Anna, and both actresses do indeed look like their animated counterparts, as they meld in with the other fairy-tale characters of the show. In addition to being creatively interesting, it’s certainly a bit of synergy, as well, with the characters of a hit Disney film crossing over to a series on ABC, which is owned by Disney.
An ABC release says that in the season premiere episode, called “A Tale of Two Sisters,” “a scared and confused Elsa finds herself in Storybrooke and, fearful of the intentions of its residents, creates a powerful snow monster for protection. With Robin Hood’s (guest star Sean Maguire) wife, Marian (guest star Christie Laing), back in the picture, Regina (Lana Parrilla) wonders if her “happily ever after” with the former thief has been completely quashed — while on their honeymoon, Mr. Gold (Robert Carlyle) finds an intriguing object that makes him question whether or not he should officially give Belle (Emilie de Ravin) control over the dagger that makes him The Dark One, and Hook (Colin O’Donoghue) is dismayed to discover that Emma (Jennifer Morrison) seems to be avoiding him while she tries to help comfort Regina after being the one responsible for bringing Marian back from the past and into Storybrooke. Meanwhile, in Arendelle of the past, as Elsa’s sister Anna’s wedding to Kristoff (guest star Scott Michael Foster) nears, Anna discovers that their parents – who died on-ship during a violent storm – were heading to a mysterious destination in a quest that may have held the secret to containing Elsa’s out of control Ice powers. And against Elsa’s wishes, Anna wants to finish their journey to find out what they were looking for.”
Although the season premiere of Once Upon a Time debuts on-air Sept. 28, the first act of the episode will be made available to authenticated viewers on WATCH ABC, WATCH Disney Channel and WATCH ABC Family beginning Friday, Sept. 26. According to ABC, this is the first time that all three networks have debuted content from the same show on their WATCH services.
One hour prior to the season premiere on Sunday, ABC will air a special called Once Upon a Time: Storybrooke Has Frozen Over, narrated by John Rhys-Davies. ABC says that this program will “explore the show in a way that will bring new viewers up to date — but which current viewers will also find illuminating – in anticipation of the exciting fourth season premiere. The special will take a look at the role that family plays in the show and never giving up on the ones you love, our heroes’ journey from breaking the curse to the ramifications of magic in our world, travelling to Neverland to save Henry from an evil Peter Pan, their battle with The Wicked Witch of the West upon their return, and the upcoming presence of Elsa, the Ice Queen from Arendelle, in Storybrooke. … The Storybrooke residents do not know what Elsa has in store for them. Back in the past, in Elsa’s kingdom of Arendelle, we will discover what happened to her, her sister Anna and Kristoff, and how and why Elsa became a prisoner of Rumplestiltskin. … The special features interviews with executive producers Eddy Kitsis and Adam Horowitz.”
Once Upon a Time: “Storybrooke Has Frozen Over” premieres Sept. 28 at 7pm ET on ABC.
Once Upon a Time: “A Tale of Two Sisters,” featuring Elsa and Anna from Frozen, airs Sept. 28 at 8pm ET on ABC.
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Katie Yu/ABC
