Disney has canceled its planned Book of Enchantment television series that would have focused on various villains from the company’s expansive filmography. The series, an adaptation of Serena Valentino’s Villains book series, was supposed to come to the Disney+ streaming service.
The decision to cancel the series came down to creative differences. According to Deadline, Disney’s dissatisfaction with the show reportedly stemmed from the creative team’s chosen tone and direction, which was taking the concept in a darker direction than the studio was comfortable with.
Considering how adamant Disney has been about keeping its upcoming streaming service family-friendly, it’s not a huge surprise that a show about Disney villains that was edging into darker territory was canceled. An effort was reportedly made to provide more levity to the series at some point during development, but the latest scripts still proved too edgy for executives.
The show was canceled fairly early into development, being only 13 weeks into the writing process when the order to stop production came down. The series was only fully outlined for the public in February but had been in development for roughly a year.
Another reason for the series’ cancellation was budget. Book of Enchantment likely would have cost a sizable amount to produce and, considering that the show was heading for a modestly priced streaming service and Disney’s own reservations about tone, it was likely deemed too much of a risk.
The Disney+ incarnation of Book of Enchantment might not be happening, but the studio still owns the rights to the intellectual property and reportedly remains interested in its development.