Disney+ drops two new shows despite finishing filming for both in attempt to save cash – leaving fans devastated

Disney+ has dropped two shows which were set for debut on the streaming giant in a bid to save cash, even after filming was completed.

Fans have expressed their disappointment that live-action shows The Spiderwick Chronicles and Nautilus will not be part of the streaming service’s content in a move to cut costs.

The former was to be a six-part reboot the popular children’s film of the same name – already an adaptation of a book series – and the latter was a prequal to 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea.

The 2008 Spiderwick Chronicles movie was based on Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black’s 2000s fantasy series.

It is a story of three children discovering their family estate is a portal to a magical world.

Signed, sealed, not delivered: Filming for The Spiderwick Chronicles, which enjoyed big-screen success in a 2008 move (pictured), reportedly ended in early 2023

Waste: One especially disappointed commenter was set designer Dave Blass, who found it ‘staggering’ that such creativity might go unused

Fans were looking forward to seeing the new episodes following the success of the movie and books, hoping that another studio will pick it up.  

One person wrote: ‘This really sucks because I was really looking forward to it …Disney Plus really needed shows like this.’

Another disappointed viewer said: ‘Dang, loved these books and the movie. I hope it gets picked up by another platform, would love to see!’

One particularly disappointed X – formerly Twitter – user was production designer Dave Blass, who wrote: ‘I am always amazed at the tens of millions of dollars of sets that I have designed for shows that never were seen. 

‘I get that it’s part of the process but I always find in staggering how much waste of creativity there is.’

Paramount Television Studios are now reportedly looking for other potential buyers according to Deadline, after filming concluded at the start of the year. 

UK fantasy adventure series Nautilus was the other victim of the recent cull.

It was touted as a prequel to 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea, which was released originally in 1954, and enjoyed a 1997 reboot featuring Michael Caine.

This tale was also based on a book – French writer Jules Verne’s 1870 novel has received praise for how accurately it predicted the future developments of submarines.

The UK live-action series is also being flaunted to potential buyers elsewhere as a result, while Disney+ remain committed to the completion of the project until then.

One expectant fan wrote: ‘I was looking forward to that one. Not fair Disney.’

Another wise commenter noted: ‘Their cost-cutting would have been more effective if they’d made this decision 197 shoot days earlier.’

Ahead of its Time: The novel inspiring 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea had correctly predicted many elements of submarines which existed by the time it became a film in 1954 (pictured)

Timely: Fans were frustrated, especially given that both series had already finished filming. They are now being sold to other potential buying studios