Back in 2014, the response to Frozen even caught Disney off-guard on its way to becoming the most successful animated movie of all time. Who knew that modernizing the Disney princesses and giving us incredibly catchy tunes could be so profitable? But there was a time when Disney struggled to make Frozen work, and now we’ve finally learned the details of a much darker take on the story. Today’s Nerdist News is never gonna let it go as we break down the details!

Join host and honorary Disney princess, Jessica Chobot, as she examines a recent interview with Frozen producer Peter Vel Decho where he revealed an earlier version of the film in which Anna and Elsa weren’t even sisters. As Vel Decho explained, the studio had major problems while trying to adapt The Snow Queen because the title character was just too evil. That was true even in this proto-Frozen, when Elsa went crazy evil after being jilted at the altar.

Considering that the best part of the final movie is the relationship between the two sisters, this incarnation of the tale just didn’t click. Nor did Elsa have any redemptive moments throughout the script. Instead, she was pure evil…at least until the very end when she had a sudden change of heart and saved everyone from a destructive avalanche that was set off by Hans. Because even the screenwriters didn’t believe that twist, it led Disney to reevaluate the characters’ relationships and that led to the film we know and love. It also led to the millions and millions of dollars that we know Disney loves. So, it was a win-win!

What do you think about Disney’s earlier take on Frozen? Let’s discuss in the comment section below!