Olaf is one of the greatest parts of Frozen, but the original version of Disney's iconic snowman, where he was mean, would have made him a much less beloved character. Olaf started the animated feature as a typical Disney sidekick, brought to life by Elsa's magic. Josh Gad's performance as Olaf and a major deviation from the original plan, which had Frozen writer and director Jennifer Lee ready to kill the character off, resulted in a delightful companion that truly made the movie magical.
When the first Frozen was released, Olaf became a fan favorite among its viewers. His optimistic attitude and out-of-character love of summer melted the hearts of audiences young and old, spawning a series of short films and specials starring this spunky little snowman. However, the original version of Olaf's characterization was a far cry from who he turned out to be. When Jennifer Lee was first shown the presentation on what would become Frozen, Olaf was a much icier, meaner character than he ultimately became. As she explained (via Scriptnotes), "When I saw the screening — I wasn't on the project yet — every time he appeared I wrote, 'Kill the f-ing snowman.' I just wrote, 'Kill him. I hate him. I hate him.'"
Before Josh Gad breathed life into Frozen's Olaf and worked with Lee to create the character that fans have come to know and love, he was a very different snowman. Instead of warming Elsa's heart, he was created to match her cold exterior, but his mean character served little purpose in Frozen's story. As he was reworked into a goofy, lovable sidekick, Olaf began to shine as the film's core. He is an embodiment of love in every way: the familial love between Elsa and her sister, Anna; the romantic love between Anna and Kristoff; and the platonic love between Anna and Olaf himself. Adding in these elements of affection and comedy made Olaf the version of the character that fans have embraced. Knowing the Olaf that made it into the final cut of Frozen, it's not hard to imagine that fans would have hated his bitter counterpart.
What Would Frozen Be Like Without Olaf?
Olaf may not be integral to the plot of Frozen, but he serves as much of the movie's heart. Having been created from Elsa and Anna's memories, his naivety toward the world represents their childlike hope and joy — he appears at a time when Anna needs a reminder of what truly matters, and he serves to bring light to those around him in their darkest moments. Olaf is also the comic relief throughout the franchise, providing light-hearted jokes and humorous commentary that only someone as pure-hearted and innocent as Olaf could provide. Without his presence — not to mention the idea of him being a part of the movie, only meaner — Disney's Frozen franchise would have had a much darker, more serious story.
Olaf is a physical manifestation of Elsa and Anna's spirit. He is the embodiment of love and kindness — a far cry from the blunt, mean character he was conceptualized as in the early days of Frozen. If the planned original version of Olaf had come to fruition, it's likely audiences would have been just as eager to see Olaf killed off as Jennifer Lee was, instead of enjoying seeing him go on to become the star of his own successful series of shorts. With some major tweaks to keep Olaf from being mean and/or killed off, Frozen was fortunately given its warmest heart of all.