Disney+ might be taking ample time to promote its existing and upcoming slate of programming, but the streaming service can't hide the fact that its also losing series at a concerning rate. The streamer launched in November 2019 to much fan-fare considering hefty backlog and ownership of properties like Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar, National Geographic, and 20th Century Studios (previously 20th Century Fox). Though previously released content is appealing, many subscribers have their sights set on new original content.
Disney+ hopes to directly compete with streaming giants with a slate of original movies and TV series, the latter of which being the most intriguing. When the service launched, The Mandalorian and High School Musical: The Musical: The Series served as the two scripted highlights. The upcoming schedule also includes Marvel shows like The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, WandaVision, and Loki in addition to multiple Star Wars titles and shows based on Disney-owned franchises.
The is experiencing its fair share of growing pains, but it's also suffering from branding issues. In an effort to build a brand identity, Disney+ has been making changes to its upcoming content schedule by either moving titles to Hulu or cancelling them altogether. The issues of creative control keep coming up and for now, here's every previously announced series no longer coming to Disney+.
High Fidelity
Development for High Fidelity, a TV series based on the 2000 film of the same name, began in early 2018 with the intention of airing on Disney+. The adaptation is developed by Veronica West and Sarah Kucserka, and Disney was quick to give it a season 1 order. A year after the project was made public, it was announced that High Fidelity was moving from Disney+ to Hulu. Considering the original movie was rated R, the switch was quickly viewed as a smart move in the worry that Disney+ would otherwise try to lessen the themes of the story.
The reason for the move was to give the title an opportunity to better reach their targeted demographic. This version of Nick Hornsby's novel shares the narrative from a female POV with Zoë Kravitz in the role of Rob Brooks, a record store owner. Hulu allows High Fidelity to be edgier without the worry of creative constraints when it comes to more mature themes. The first season dropped in mid-February to positive reviews with many praising it as a fresh take. It seems as though High Fidelity found a suitable home where it can grow and gain a loyal following.
Love, Victor
Love, Simon came under the control of Disney after the company acquired Fox assets following the film's 2018 release. The romantic teen drama-comedy starred Nick Robinson as Simon, a closeted gay teen who falls in love with an anonymous classmate online. The film, based on a novel by Becky Albertalli, scored rave reviews and year after the release, Disney+ revealed their plans for a spinoff titled Love, Victor. The series gained a straight-to-series order and was set to star Michael Cimino as Victor, a new student who is struggling with his sexuality so he reaches out to Simon for help. The series is set to debut in June 2020 but it will also be moving to Hulu, but not without controversy.
Disney+'s decision to move Love, Victor to Hulu stemmed from the presence of certain themes such as sexuality, alcohol use, and marital problems. Criticizers of the decision have questioned why the streaming service was so quick to move a series with a gay-centric storyline. In the age when viewers looking for more diverse representation, moving a highly-anticipated series so late in the game seems problematic. Disney+ was fully aware of the subject material when they gave Love, Victor the green light so it's interesting that they balked at the chance of embracing the series.
Book Of Enchantment
Prior to the launch of Disney+, it was announced that there were plans to develop a TV series right up Disney's wheelhouse. The family-oriented series, Book of Enchantment, was meant to be based on the Villains book series by author Serena Valentino. It would have created an exciting universe interweaving classic Disney tales in an innovative way, with an emphasis on the villains, of course. Michael Seitzman signed on as the showrunner with shooting planned in 2020. Unfortunately, six months after the initial announcement, Disney+ scrapped the series.
Book of Enchantment serves as the first planned Disney+ series to get cancelled, even though it was still in the development stage. The reason for the cancellation was due to the worries from Disney executives that the scripts were too dark. Considering the series intended to focus on villains like Ursula, Maleficent, and Cruella, Book of Enchantment was heading toward a grim tone. The level of darkness, however, couldn't be alleviated despite shifting the direction of the series. New crew members were even brought in but they still failed to brighten up the narrative in the eyes of the executives so the series was officially shut down.
Muppets Live Another Day
A sequel to 1984’s The Muppets Take Manhattan was in development for over a year and set to air on Disney+ before the project was cancelled. Muppets Live Another Day was supposed to pick up after the 1984 film ended by following Kermit as he brings the Muppets back together to find Rowlf. The TV series was being developed by Josh Gad (Frozen) and the creators of Once Upon a Time, Adam Horowitz and Eddy Kitsis.
After issues arose surrounding the creative direction of the series, Gad, Horowitz, and Kitsis decided to step away from Muppets Live Another Day. The series was already given a pilot order with plans of a six to eight-episode limited event series. Disney+ is still looking to develop new projects featuring the Muppets and a short-form unscripted series titled Muppets Now is still expected later this year.
Four Dads
Along with the cancellation news for Muppets Live Another Day, it was also reported that Disney+'s original series, Four Dads, would not be moving forward. The series was supposed to follow two men who get a divorce and then remarry other partners while trying to co-parent their teenage daughters. Four Dads was developed by Rick Weiner and Kenny Schwartz (Modern Family) and set to star Cheyenne Jackson in one of the lead roles. There's no word why the series was scrapped after receiving a pilot order.
Untitled Tron Series
Disney+'s latest cancelled TV series is one most people didn't even know was in development. The streaming service had preliminary plans to develop a show based on the 1982 cult classic sci-fi film, Tron. The movie about a programmer stuck inside a computer game later spawned the 2010 sequel, Tron: Legacy, as well as a short-lived animated TV show, Tron: Uprising. John Ridley (12 Years A Slave) was working on the untitled Tron series as part of his deal with Disney.
With the news that Bob Iger was stepping down as Disney's CEO, he will soon be overseeing the restructuring on Disney+ and Hulu. The news of Tron was included in the CEO switch-up news even though the plans for the series were never announced. Planning for Disney+'s Tron supposedly fell apart leading to it being scrapped. Those hoping for more Tron content can keep their fingers crossed for a third film installment, which is still rumored to happen, but will more likely be a reboot.
Lizzie McGuire Might Be Next
The highly anticipated Lizzie McGuire revival might be the next Disney+ series to get the ax unless it moves to Hulu. Plans for the series were announced before the streamer's launch with a return of the original cast members, including series star, Hilary Duff. Shortly after production went underway, the Lizzie McGuire revival was halted after showrunner Terri Minsky exited due to creative differences.
The Lizzie McGuire revival has been in limbo since January, adding more questions to Disney+ and their issues with planned content. After news of Love, Victor moving to Hulu, a frustrated Duff questioned if her series should follow suit. Disney+ is hesitant about the adult themes in the reboot but the cast and crew involved want an age-appropriate depiction of their lead character. There hasn't been any word yet but it seems likely that Lizzie McGuire will find a new home at Hulu.