Disney’s desire to cannibalize its own animated back catalogue for inspiration has beginning to show signs of running out of steam, whether that’s through lukewarm reviews, tepid box office, or in some cases unnecessarily angry backlash. Regardless of your thoughts on the constant do-overs, there can’t be many folks out there who aren’t even the littlest bit hyped for Gargoyles getting the reinvention treatment.
The classic animated series may have ended its initial run on screens over a quarter of a century ago, but attempts to bring the Gothic trappings of Greg Weisman’s creation into the realms of live-action have been trying and failing to be realized for just as long, with the most recent – and evidently unfounded – rumors claiming that Kenneth Branagh was being lined up for the director’s chair.
As it turns out, a Gargoyles series is finally in active development as a Disney Plus exclusive, with James Wan producing through his Atomic Monster banner, and Conjuring Universe veteran Gary Dauberman serving as writer, director, and executive producer. It’s still in the earliest stages, but nobody would be surprised if the end product makes it onto screens before the filmmaker’s Salem’s Lot reboot, which continues to be stuck in the darkest recesses of release date purgatory.
After countless false starts stretching back decades, it’s best to believe Gargoyles is really happening this time when cameras are rolling, but it’s about time Disney announced a do-over that’s got boundless potential to generate genuine excitement and deliver the goods should it deliver on its promise.