AceShowbiz - Josh Gad confirms his "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids" sequel has been plagued by delays. "Shrunk" - the long awaited reboot to the epic family franchise - was first confirmed in 2020, but firm updates have been lacking and fans were left wondering about the status of the Disney project.

"A lot of u ask me what's going on with this film. Truth is, we were inches from starting, and then COVID hit, inches from starting again and then my schedule exploded with conflicts, inches from starting again and budget got the best of us," Gad wrote on Twitter this week.

While the movie seems like it's stuck in development with firm plans for now, Gad joked there's a way for fans to help change that. He quipped, "If you want it, let your local @disney know."

When the film was first revealed in 2020, there were reports Rick Moranis - who starred in the 1989 original - was set to come out of retirement to reprise his role as scientist Wayne Szalinski. Original director Joe Johnston was also expected to return with Gad playing Szalinski's son, who also aspired to be a great scientist like his dad. Naturally, he would end up accidentally shrinking the kids, and chaos would ensue.

In the meantime, Gad will be reprising the role of Olaf from "Frozen" in Disney's upcoming "Once Upon a Studio" short as part of the company's 100th anniversary celebrations. He will appear in a scene with the Genie from "Aladdin", with the late Robin Williams returning to the role thanks to "previously unheard dialogue" of him voicing the beloved character.

The news was revealed as part of Annecy International Animation Film Festival, with the special animation shown for the first time as part of the annual event.

As well as Genie and Olaf, the nine-minute short film features more than 400 other Disney characters causing "gentle mayhem" around the studio, including Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Winnie the Pooh, Moana, Merlin, Tiana, Goofy, and more, with over 40 original voice actors returning for the film.