Disney’s Cancelled Spiderwick Chronicles Coming to Roku

In 2024, the Roku Channel will debut The Spiderwick Chronicles, an eight-episode children’s fantasy show that was unceremoniously cancelled two years into production. Disney axed the series based on the bestselling series of books by Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black in an effort to claim a tax break before the show went to air.

It was originally set to be six episodes and has since been expanded to eight. The cancellation was part of a plan to bring Disney+’s live-action slate more in line with its objective of producing its own IP, rather than licensed work. Paramount, which co-developed the series alongside Disney, was said to be shopping the nearly completed series around after the decision was made not to release the show on Disney+.

“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,” said Nicole Clemens, President of Paramount Television Studios and Paramount+ Original Scripted Series in a press release.

The series stars Christian Slater and Joy Bryant, and follows a family as they move back to their family home in Michigan. There’s a mystery hidden in the Spiderwick Estate, but there’s also a magical, fantastic new world just beyond the veil. It’s described as a modern fairytale, a fable-like coming of age story for children.

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