A month after Disney+ announced that it would not be moving forward with its live-action adaptation of The Spiderwick Chronicles, the series has found a new home at Roku. The eight-episode series had already been completed when Disney ditched it, and it was developed by Paramount Television Studios and 20th Century Television.
Based on the series of bestselling children’s books by Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black, “The Spiderwick Chronicles is a contemporary American gothic coming-of-age story that addresses kids and families dealing with mental health issues among other relevant topics. Upon leaving New York and moving to Michigan and into their run-down ancestral home—The Spiderwick Estate—with their mother, twin brothers Jared and Simon Grace, along with their sister Mallory, find themselves pulled into an alternate, fantastical world.”
The Spiderwick Chronicles stars Joy Bryant as Helen Grace, Christian Slateras Mulgarath, Jack Dylan Grazer as the voice of Thimbletack, Noah Cottrell as Simon Grace, and Lyon Daniels as Jared Grace, Mychala Lee as Mallory Grace.
Brian Tannenbaum, Head of Originals, Roku Media shared in a statement: “It is an honor to bring The Spiderwick Chronicles, a spectacular adventure-filled story led by the incredible Christian Slater and Joy Bryant, exclusively to The Roku Channel. We cannot wait to introduce this exquisitely crafted series, imagined by a world-class creative team, to millions of streamers.”
Paramount TV Studios President Nicole Clemens added: “We are elated that The Spiderwick Chronicles has found a new home and want to thank The Roku Channel for their passionate partnership. Our showrunner Aron Eli Coleite has crafted a beautiful series full of all the enchantment that made the books so beloved, and we can’t wait for audiences to meet these wonderful characters.”
This marks the most ambitious series to date for Roku and it will premiere on the streaming platform in early 2024.
Disney+ opted not to proceed with the series as part of a cost-cutting streaming programming removal with a focus on content curation and Disney-owned IP. It’s also said that the series was darker than the typical Disney+ fare.
Source: Deadline
