ABC says it plans to air a special called “The Story of Frozen: Making a Disney Animated Classic” on Sept. 2.

    The collaboration between Lincoln Square Productions and Walt Disney Animation Studios will offer a behind-the-scenes glimpse at the origins and evolution of the Academy Award-winning 2013 film “Frozen,” the network said in a news release Wednesday.

    The program will also include an announcement about the future of the “Frozen” franchise and a preview of the upcoming episode of ABC’s live-action drama series “Once Upon a Time.”

    “Viewers will get a rare look inside Walt Disney Animation Studios and unprecedented access to the creative team that brought Frozen to life,” the news release said.

    “Throughout the one-hour special, the audience will hear from ‘Frozen’ stars Kristen Bell and Idina Menzel, the directors, songwriters, producer and artists and chief creative officer John Lasseter — the team who dreamed of making a cherished Hans Christian Andersen story into a big-screen animated musical. Viewers will take a journey to the beautiful Norwegian villages and landscapes that inspired the look of Arendelle — the fictional kingdom — and see images and footage from the research trips to Norway, Quebec and points beyond that helped create the film’s unforgettable look and feel.”

    The film was released in November and has grossed more than US$1.2 billion worldwide. Fans have been clamoring for a sequel, but so far Disney has downplayed talk about following up on one of their biggest hits. There’s a Broadway musical in the works, and a series of sequel books that are due out in January.

    Meanwhile, the special will also preview Disney’s next animated feature, “Big Hero 6.” (SD-Agencies)