Olaf Presents

Last updated
Olaf Presents
Olaf Presents logo.png
Genre Comedy [1]
Story by
  • Don Dougherty
  • Javier Ledesma
  • Hyrum Osmond
Directed byHyrum Virl Osmond
Voices of
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes5
Production
Executive producer Jennifer Lee
ProducerJennifer Newfield
Running time90 seconds
Production company Walt Disney Animation Studios
Original release
NetworkDisney+
ReleaseNovember 12, 2021 (2021-11-12)

Olaf Presents is an animated comedy miniseries of shorts that features Olaf (Josh Gad) retelling the stories of Disney films. [2] The series was inspired by a scene in Frozen II where Olaf recaps Frozen . The series received positive responses, particularly for its humor.

Contents

Premise

Olaf performs his own takes on Disney films The Little Mermaid , Moana , The Lion King , Aladdin and Tangled . He reenacts some things incorrectly and exaggerates certain elements. He plays most of the roles by himself, using various things to imitate the characters. At times, Sven, Marshmallow, [a] the Snowgies, [b] Bruni [c] and Gale [d] help him with his performances.

Cast

Production, marketing and release

During the production of Frozen II , Disney needed a scene that was both amusing and informative, which would break up the narrative's occasional harsh tone and introduce a moment of sheer absurdity. They used Olaf and created a scene where he recites the events of Frozen . The scene became so popular that Walt Disney Animation Studios revived the concept for Olaf Presents. Gad improvised much of his performance in the series. [4] The trailer featured the opening of The Lion King episode, followed by a series of Olaf Presents segments, each showing a different Disney film. Olaf appears as the Genie from Aladdin before moving on to Moana. Upon the trailer's release, CinemaBlend called it "Frozen meets Drunk History ". [5] The series was released on November 12, 2021, coinciding with Disney+ Day, on Disney+, with each episode at approximately 90 seconds. [1] [3]

Episodes

Each of the shorts were directed by Hyrum Virl Osmond.

Episodes of the first season of Olaf Presents
No.TitleOriginal release date
1"The Little Mermaid"November 12, 2021 (2021-11-12)
2"Moana"November 12, 2021 (2021-11-12)
3"The Lion King"November 12, 2021 (2021-11-12)
4"Aladdin"November 12, 2021 (2021-11-12)
5"Tangled"November 12, 2021 (2021-11-12)

Reception

Critical response

Joel Keller of Decider found the series funny and entertaining across its humor, stating the show appears as a refreshing take on some of Disney's intellectual properties, and praised Josh Gad and Frank Welker for their performances. [3] The Wrap writer Drew Taylor called it a "surprising celebration of Disney Animation's history" and "breakthrough in that it is clearly lampooning some aspects of cherished Disney classics, but in a way that is respectful and artistically ambitious". He commended Gad's performance and Olaf's humour, references, and how he could "disrupt" the Frozen world. Overall, he called it perfect, highlighting the animation and comedy. [4] Shane Redding of Screen Rant praised Josh Gad's performance and the humor of the series, writing, "The series is a great use of Olaf's comedic abilities as he takes jabs at and points out the issues with some of Disney's most famous stories. Whether he is highlighting the painfulness of Mufasa's death in his version of The Lion King or singing "Part of Your World" as Ariel in a retelling of The Little Mermaid, Olaf hilariously brings some great Disney stories to life in a way that only he can." [6] Diondra Brown of Common Sense Media rated the series 4 out of 5 stars and praised the humor of the series, while complimenting the depiction of different values, such as curiosity, perseverance, and teamwork, that are portrayed through the characters. [7]

Accolades

YearAwardCategoryNominee(s)ResultRef.
2022 Hollywood Critics Association TV Awards Best Short Form Animation SeriesOlaf PresentsNominated [8]
Children's and Family Emmy Awards Outstanding Editing for an Animated Program Jeff Draheim Nominated [9]

Notes

  1. ↑ An ice monster created by Elsa in Frozen
  2. ↑ Tiny snowmen inadvertently created by Elsa's sickness on Anna's birthday in Frozen Fever
  3. ↑ A salamander who is the fire spirit
  4. ↑ A gust of wind who is the air spirit

Related Research Articles

"From All of Us to All of You" is an animated television Christmas special, produced by Walt Disney Productions and first presented on December 19, 1958 on ABC as part of the Walt Disney Presents anthology series. Hosted by Jiminy Cricket along with Mickey Mouse and Tinker Bell, the special combines newly produced animation with clips from vintage animated Disney shorts and feature films, presented to the viewer as "Christmas cards" from the various characters starring in each one.

<i>Frozen</i> (2013 film) Disney animated film

Frozen is a 2013 American animated musical fantasy film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures. Inspired by Hans Christian Andersen's 1844 fairy tale "The Snow Queen", it was directed by Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee and produced by Peter Del Vecho, from a screenplay by Lee, who also conceived the film's story with Buck and Shane Morris. The film stars the voices of Kristen Bell, Idina Menzel, Jonathan Groff, Josh Gad, and Santino Fontana. It follows Anna, the princess of Arendelle, who sets off on a journey with the iceman Kristoff, his reindeer Sven, and the snowman Olaf, to find her estranged sister Elsa after she accidentally traps their kingdom in eternal winter with her icy powers.

Anna of Arendelle is a fictional character who appears in Walt Disney Animation Studios' animated fantasy film Frozen (2013) and its sequel Frozen II (2019). She is voiced by Kristen Bell as an adult. At the beginning of the film, Livvy Stubenrauch and Katie Lopez provide her speaking and singing voice as a young child, respectively. Agatha Lee Monn portrayed her as a nine-year-old (singing). In Frozen II, Hadley Gannaway provided her voice as a young child while Stubenrauch is the archive audio.

Elsa (<i>Frozen</i>) Fictional character from the franchise Frozen

Elsa is a fictional character who appears in Walt Disney Animation Studios' animated fantasy film Frozen (2013), and later media of the Frozen franchise, including its sequel Frozen II (2019). She is voiced mainly by Idina Menzel, with Eva Bella as a young child and Spencer Ganus as a teenager in Frozen. In Frozen II, young Elsa is voiced by Mattea Conforti and Eva Bella.

<i>Frozen</i> (musical) Musical adaptation of the 2013 Disney film Frozen

Frozen is a musical with music and lyrics by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, and book by Jennifer Lee, based on the Walt Disney Animation Studios' 2013 animated film Frozen. The story centers on the relationship between two sisters who are princesses, Elsa and Anna. Elsa has magical powers to freeze objects and people, which she does not know how to control. After inheriting the throne, Elsa flees, inadvertently causes the kingdom to become frozen in an eternal winter, and nearly kills her sister. She must sacrifice and show true love to save the day.

Olaf (<i>Frozen</i>) Fictional character from the Frozen franchise

Olaf is a fictional character in Disney's Frozen franchise. He first appeared in the Walt Disney Animation Studios animated film Frozen (2013). At the beginning of the film, Olaf is an inanimate snowman created by Elsa and Anna in their childhood. He then reappears in the film as an anthropomorphic snowman created by Elsa's ice powers, and helps Anna and Kristoff in their journey to find Elsa. He later appears in other related Frozen media, including the sequel Frozen II (2019), and serves as the central character in the featurette Olaf's Frozen Adventure (2017), the short film Once Upon a Snowman (2020), and the series of shorts Olaf Presents (2021). He is voiced by Josh Gad in most of his appearances.

Kristoff (<i>Frozen</i>) Fictional character from the Frozen franchise

Kristoff is a fictional character in Walt Disney Animation Studios' Frozen franchise. He appears in the animated features Frozen (2013) and Frozen II (2019), and the animated short films Frozen Fever (2015), Olaf's Frozen Adventure (2017) and Once Upon a Snowman (2020). He was created by co-directors Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee and is voiced primarily by Jonathan Groff.

<i>Frozen</i> (franchise) Disney media franchise

Frozen is a Disney media franchise started by the 2013 American animated feature film Frozen, which was directed by Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee, screenplay by Lee and produced by Peter Del Vecho, music score by Christophe Beck, and songs written by Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez. John Lasseter, then-chief creative officer of Walt Disney Animation Studios, served as the film's executive producer. The original film was inspired by Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale, "The Snow Queen".

<i>Frozen Fever</i> 2015 American animated short film

Frozen Fever is a 2015 American animated musical fantasy short film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures. A follow-up to the 2013 feature film Frozen, the short follows Elsa as she attempts to throw a surprise party for her sister Anna with the help of Kristoff, Sven, and Olaf. Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee again served as the directors with Kristen Bell, Idina Menzel, Jonathan Groff, and Josh Gad reprising their roles from the film.

<i>Frozen 2</i> 2019 Disney animated film

Frozen 2, stylized as Frozen II, is a 2019 American animated musical fantasy film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures as the sequel to Frozen (2013). Produced by Peter Del Vecho, the film was directed by Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee from a screenplay by Lee. The directors co-wrote the story with Marc Smith, Kristen Anderson-Lopez, and Robert Lopez. It stars the voices of Kristen Bell, Idina Menzel, Josh Gad, and Jonathan Groff. Set three years after the events of the first film, Frozen 2 follows sisters Anna and Elsa, and their companions Kristoff, Sven, and Olaf as they travel to an enchanted forest to unravel the origin of Elsa's magical power.

<i>Frozen</i> Ever After Attraction at Epcot in Walt Disney World

Frozen Ever After and Anna and Elsa's Frozen Journey are musical reversing Shoot the Chute dark rides at Epcot, Hong Kong Disneyland, Tokyo DisneySea, and Walt Disney Studios Park. The attractions feature scenes inspired by Disney's 2013 animated film Frozen as well as the 2015 animated short Frozen Fever. Its first installation in Epcot opened on June 21, 2016, using the ride vehicles and track layout of the former Maelstrom attraction. A version of the attraction opened at Hong Kong Disneyland on November 20, 2023, as part of The Walt Disney Company's centennial celebration, and Tokyo DisneySea on June 6, 2024, with one more scheduled to open at Disney Adventure World in the spring of 2025.

Lego Disney is a Lego theme based on the various Disney Princesses and Disney characters involved in different Disney films and television series. It is licensed from Walt Disney Pictures. The theme was first introduced in 2016 and was re-branded theme from the Lego Disney Princess line in 2017. The toy line was accompanied by several shorts and television specials based on Lego Disney.

<i>Olafs Frozen Adventure</i> 2017 animated short film

Olaf's Frozen Adventure is a 2017 American animated featurette produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios and directed by Kevin Deters and Stevie Wermers. The screenplay was written by Jac Schaeffer, with Josh Gad, Kristen Bell, Idina Menzel, and Jonathan Groff reprising their roles from Frozen (2013).

Sven (<i>Frozen</i>) Fictional character in the Frozen franchise

Sven is a fictional character in the Frozen Franchise, produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios. He is a reindeer that lives together with his companion, Kristoff. Sven, alongside Kristoff, assists princess Anna in her search for her sister, queen Elsa, who has run away after placing the kingdom of Arendelle under an eternal winter. During their adventure, Sven also meets and befriends a living snowman, Olaf. Years after the events from the first film, Sven and the others go in search of a mysterious voice heard by Elsa. In the course of the journey, Sven meets other reindeer. Besides the two films, Sven is also present in the short film Frozen Fever (2015) and the featurette Olaf's Frozen Adventure (2017).

<i>Into the Unknown: Making Frozen 2</i> 2020 documentary series

Into the Unknown: Making Frozen 2 is a 2020 documentary series about Disney's 2019 animated film Frozen 2. Its six episodes follow the production crew and voice actors of Frozen 2 in the film's final year of development. This includes the story development and reworking of the song "Show Yourself", the variety of different roles in the animation process, the songwriting and orchestral arrangements, and the post-production process. It was directed by Megan Harding, who was previously involved with a 2014 documentary on the making of the 2013 film Frozen, and released on the streaming service Disney+.

<i>Once Upon a Snowman</i> 2020 American fantasy short film

Once Upon a Snowman is a 2020 American animated fantasy short film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios and written and directed by Trent Correy and Dan Abraham. Correy drew inspiration from a scene where Elsa created Olaf while working on Frozen (2013). He and his team sought to maintain continuity and explore afresh perspective on the original scenes. The short film was released exclusively on the streaming service Disney+ on October 23, 2020. Set during the events of Frozen, Once Upon a Snowman follows Olaf's early adventures to discover his identity after he was created by Elsa, before he met Anna, Kristoff, and Sven.

Wonderful World of Animation is a nighttime show at Disney's Hollywood Studios. The show is a celebration of all Disney animation, beginning with Mickey Mouse. It premiered on May 1, 2019, as part of the park's 30th anniversary celebration, replacing Disney Movie Magic.

Wondrous Journeys was a projection mapping and fireworks show at Disneyland that debuted on January 27, 2023. It premiered alongside World of Color: One as part of the Disney 100 Years of Wonder celebration to commemorate the centennial of The Walt Disney Company. The show contains a large assortment of songs and characters from the entirety of the Walt Disney Animation Studios feature film canon.

<i>Once Upon a Studio</i> 2023 short film by Dan Abraham and Trent Correy

Once Upon a Studio is a 2023 American live-action/animated crossover fantasy comedy short film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios in celebration of the Walt Disney Company's centennial. Written and directed by Dan Abraham and Trent Correy, it aired on ABC on October 15, 2023. In the film, Disney characters come to life from pictures hanging on the walls of the Roy E. Disney Animation Building following the end of a usual work day. The short's art style combines computer graphics, traditional animation and live-action, and features characters from the majority of the studio's works made up to that point. The film was dedicated in memory of Burny Mattinson, the company's longest-serving employee, who made a cameo in the short and died eight months before its release. This is also the final work of Richard M. Sherman before his death in 2024.

References

  1. 1 2 "Olaf Presents on Disney+". The Futon Critic . Retrieved November 19, 2021.
  2. ↑ "Frozen: Disney+ Reveals Olaf Presents Official Trailer". ComicBook. Retrieved 2022-06-16.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Keller, Joel (November 12, 2021). "Stream It Or Skip It: 'Olaf Presents' On Disney+, Where The 'Frozen' Snowman Does 90-Second Performances Of Other Disney Hits". Decider . Retrieved November 19, 2021.
  4. 1 2 Taylor, Drew (9 November 2021). "Olaf Presents Review: Is the Disney Plus Frozen Spinoff Worth Watching?". TheWrap . Retrieved November 19, 2021.
  5. ↑ Chichizola, Corey (October 14, 2021). "Disney+'s Olaf Presents Trailer Is Basically Frozen Meets Drunk History". CinemaBlend . Retrieved November 19, 2021.
  6. ↑ Redding, Shane (November 16, 2021). "The Best Disney Tales In Olaf Presents". Screen Rant . Retrieved November 19, 2021.
  7. ↑ "Olaf Presents TV Review | Common Sense Media". www.commonsensemedia.org. Retrieved 2022-05-09.
  8. ↑ Schneider, Michael (2022-07-07). "'Severance,' 'Ted Lasso' Lead Streaming Nominees for 2nd Annual HCA TV Awards". Variety. Retrieved 2022-07-08.
  9. ↑ "2022 CAFE Nominees (ALL) - The Emmys". Emmy Awards . November 1, 2022. Retrieved November 1, 2022.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.