Disney has cancelled the planned The Princess and the Frog Disney+ sequel show, Tiana, as it rethinks its streaming strategy. Released in 2009, The Princess and the Frog introduced audiences to the first ever Black Disney princess with Anika Noni Rose’s Tiana. The film earned positive reviews and was a box office success, though it didn’t reach the same highs as many other animated Disney movies. The Tiana sequel show was first announced in 2020 with Rose expected to reprise her role and a release expected in 2024, but there’s been little word on the project since.

THR now reports that Disney is moving away from making any longform streaming content, and that has resulted in Tiana being cancelled. The company has also scrapped an unannounced feature-length project that would have debuted on Disney+. This change in direction will result in layoffs at the company’s Vancouver studio, a spokesperson confirmed to THR.

Sources tell THR that Tiana wasn’t coming together creatively in a way that justified its hefty production costs. Despite Tiana being scrapped, a short-form special inspired by The Princess and the Frog is reported to be in early development. Joyce Sherri and Steve Anderson will direct this mysterious new special, with Sherri also writing. It remains unclear if it will bring The Princess and the Frog star Anika Noni Rose back as Tiana, as was planned for the series.

What Tiana’s Cancellation Means For Disney+

Disney’s Shift In Strategy Explained

The announcement that Tiana was in development came under the reign of Disney CEO Bob Chapek when the company was desperate to grow Disney+ subscriber numbers. The plan to do this involved investing heavily in content. With the streaming industry having now shifted to a model that prioritizes profitability over subscriber numbers, Disney and others are now changing gears, and Tiana was evidently a casualty of this.

Tiana‘s cancellation follows an announcement last year stating that Pixar would no longer be prioritizing the development of any longform content for Disney+. This announcement arrived after the release of Dream Productions, an Inside Out spinoff show. It’s notable that this change in strategy also follows the release of Moana 2 in theaters last November, a movie that started life as a Disney+ sequel series before being retooled into a theatrical event. Moana 2 reviews may not have been glowing from critics, but the film grossed a staggering $1.053 billion worldwide.

Our Take On Tiana’s Cancellation

The Princess & The Frog Universe Isn’t Completely ᴅᴇᴀᴅ Yet

Even though The Princess and the Frog may not have been as big of a hit as Disney may have hoped, it was still an important movie since it introduced the first Black Disney princess. A full-blown movie sequel may not have been on the table, but a Disney+ sequel series seemed like an interesting way to continue that story. The announcement that Tiana is cancelled is sure to be a disappointment to those who enjoyed the original movie.

It’s possible that Tiana’s time in the Disney universe isn’t finished, however. No details have emerged about this short-form special that is being developed, but it could well bring Tiana back. For now, though, it looks like it could be quite some time before more Princess and the Frog content is released.

Source: THR