A Cut Frozen 2 Song Would Have Made Olaf’s Melting Scene Much More Tragic

Frozen 2 was supposed to feature an Olaf solo number that would’ve made the character’s melting scene toward the end of the movie much more impactful. The sequel to 2013’s Frozen, Frozen 2 featured several original songs written by husband and wife duo Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez, such as “Into the Unknown” and “Show Yourself”. Frozen 2 went on to make over $1.4 billion at the worldwide box office (via The Numbers), while the movie’s soundtrack charted at number 1 on the U.S. Billboard 200. However, one musical number written for the character of Olaf never made it to the screen.

Voiced by Josh Gad in both Frozen and Frozen 2, Olaf is a sentient snowman created by Anna and Elsa when they were children and given life by Elsa via the use of her powers. A comic relief character, Olaf’s greatest Frozen quotes are some of the best and funniest lines in the franchise. Nevertheless, Olaf also gets his fair share of tragic moments, including a melting scene in Frozen 2, which would’ve been even more gut-wrenching had a certain cut song been included in the final version of the film.

Frozen 2’s “Unmeltable Me” Would Have Made Olaf’s Melting Scene So Much Sadder

It’s Also A Great Song In Its Own Right

“Unmeltable Me” is an Olaf-centric musical number that features on the deluxe edition of the Frozen 2 soundtrack despite not actually appearing in the movie. Performed by Gad, it’s a comedic song that makes use of a harpsichord to give the track a whimsical vaudeville-style sound. Not only was the song written and recorded, but storyboards were drawn for the “Unmeltable Me” scene, which would’ve seen Olaf attending a fancy state dinner in honor of Elsa. As well as giving Olaf a fun solo number, “Unmeltable Me” had a far more functional purpose.

The song was written to explain why Olaf no longer needed the magic “flurry” – created by Elsa in the previous film – to survive without melting. Essentially, the “flurry” effect had proven to be difficult to animate and so, with Frozen 2, it was decided that Olaf would have a permafrost coating made for him by Elsa between movies. The lyrics to “Unmeltable Me”, therefore, explain this change. Meanwhile, the accompanying scene would’ve depicted Olaf demonstrating his new “unmeltable” powers by doing wacky things like ramming a candle into his ear and throwing himself on a fireplace.

Why Olaf’s Song Was Cut From Frozen 2

Not Every Musical Number Can Make The Cut

It’s not uncommon for whole songs to be cut from musicals for time, pacing, or story reasons. In the case of “Unmeltable Me”, the song was a victim of the whole state dinner scene being dropped for time. With no other logical place for the song to go, it remained on the cutting room floor. This is a shame because “Unmeltable Me” is not only a great song in its own right, but its inclusion in Frozen 2 would’ve also given greater impact to a scene later in the movie.

As Frozen 2 builds towards its climax, Elsa becomes frozen while searching for answers in the most dangerous part of Ahtohallan. Her apparent demise means that Olaf, who is reliant on Elsa’s power to keep him from melting, also dies. It’s a sad moment, but one that would’ve had far more emotional weight had “Unmeltable Me” been included. After all, in that song, Olaf is overjoyed with his new abilities and giddy with excitement at being practically impenetrable to heat. Olaf melting away only a short time after gaining his permafrost coating is, therefore, heartbreakingly sad.

The Disney Sequel Still Tugged On Heartstrings With “The Next Right Thing”

The Song Serves As Frozen 2’s Emotional Climax

The exclusion of “Unmeltable Me” from the final theatrical version of the film means that Frozen 2 doesn’t pack the kind of emotional punch that it should. Nevertheless, the Disney sequel still manages to tug at the heartstrings, largely thanks to “The Next Right Thing”. Coming directly after Elsa and Olaf’s apparent deaths, “The Next Right Thing” portrays Anna’s depression following the loss of both her sister and her friend. As the song progresses, Anna deals with her feelings and comes to the decision that the best thing she can do is focus on the next step before her.

The song includes the lyrics, “You are lost, hope is gone/But you must go on/And do the next right thing”, demonstrating Anna’s resolve in such an uncertain situation. Owing to a moving vocal performance by Kristen Bell, “The Next Right Thing” is where Frozen 2 reaches its emotional climax. Though Frozen 2 arguably lacks the catchy and stirring songs of 2013’s Frozen, “The Next Right Thing” ensures that the animated sequel still leaves a lasting impression. If only “Unmeltable Me” had been included, Frozen 2 would’ve had more emotional resonance than its predecessor.