Gargoyles: There won't be a Disney+ live-action series after all

It's now official: The planned live-action adaptation of "Gargoyles" will not be moving forward after all. Greg Weisman, one of the creators of the original fantasy animated series, explained in an interview with ComicsOnline that the project is off the table. Although Weisman wasn't involved in the reboot, he's apparently right. That's because a source close to the project has now confirmed to Variety that the live-action series has been canceled.

The "Gargoyles" reboot was in the early stages of development at Disney+. The project was first announced back in 2023. At the time, it was reported that the streaming service was collaborating with writer Gary Dauberman to bring the live-action series to life. The original animated series premiered over 30 years ago. It centers on the eponymous creatures, who turn to stone during the day and only awaken at night. The story follows a group of gargoyles who initially live in Scotland in the year 994. But the creatures are betrayed. Only the noble Goliath and a few other gargoyles survive and are put into a permanent sleep by a spell – until the spell is broken 1,000 years later by the fabulously wealthy David Xanatos in present-day New York. There, they soon meet police officer Elisa Maza and decide to protect the city alongside her.

Big shoes to fill

The live-action adaptation would likely have stayed true to the premise of the original, as indicated by the synopsis of the now-canceled reboot. According to Variety, it reads:

"Based on the cult classic Disney animated series, Goliath is the last of a heroic race of gargoyle warriors who once lived among mankind. Free from a centuries long curse that turned him into stone, Goliath struggles to solve the mystery of his past while watching over modern-day New York City alongside police detective Elisa Maza."

We'll probably never know whether the reboot would have lived up to the original. In any case, the live-action version would have had big shoes to fill. The 78-episode animated TV series from back in the day originally aired from 1994 to 1997 and captivated audiences with, among other things, compelling protagonists and recurring supporting characters who couldn't always be clearly divided into good and evil. In addition, the story became increasingly complex. While there were many stand-alone episodes, "Gargoyles" also told a larger overarching story, repeatedly revisiting certain plot threads and thus crafting an increasingly multi-layered world.

Influenced by Shakespeare

Another striking feature of the series was the influence of William Shakespeare. The creators of "Gargoyles" repeatedly drew inspiration from his works, incorporating motifs from plays such as "Macbeth" and reimagining Shakespeare's ideas and characters in original ways. In addition, the animated series' original English-language version regularly featured top-tier voice actors, including Keith David, Clancy Brown, and Tim Curry. Of particular interest to "Star Trek" fans: Several stars of the science fiction franchise lent their voices to characters in "Gargoyles," including "Next Generation" actors Jonathan Frakes, Marina Sirtis, Michael Dorn, and Brent Spiner, as well as former "Voyager" Captain Kate Mulgrew.

All of this contributed to "Gargoyles" being one of the highest-quality U.S. animated series to air on television in the '90s. The only downside: the final, third season. Essentially, "Gargoyles" had received a fitting conclusion at the end of the second season. The major story arcs had been resolved; the series could have been left to rest in peace. Consequently, the 13 episodes of the third season, subtitled "The Goliath Chronicles," feel like an unnecessary add-on. The quality of the stories dropped significantly and failed to match the caliber of the previous episodes. Still, the first two seasons of "Gargoyles" remain unforgettable.