For years, readers have enjoyed Ridley Pearson’s “Kingdom Keepers” book series, but it doesn’t look like we’ll see the adventures coming to Disney+ anytime soon, even with the involvement of filmmaker Kevin Smith.
In a series of posts on Twitter, Smith revealed that he was working on a series based on the books, which follows the adventures of five kids as they serve as holographic hosts in the Disney Parks by day, and defend them from assaults from Disney Villains by night, that ultimately didn’t come to fruition.
That was a blast to write 2 years ago. It was planned as one of the first shows to launch on what would become @disneyplus. Then a new exec was put in charge of the app and he killed KK. Said we used too much @Disney IP in one project (every character in the park comes to life). https://t.co/8izGTsg10H
— KevinSmith (@ThatKevinSmith) April 5, 2020
According to Smith, the show was abandoned when a new executive took charge of the streaming service, claiming that the show “used too many Disney IP’s in one project,” as the show centers around characters in the park coming to life after closing. But Smith wasn’t bitter about the project’s cancellation, as that same executive pushed for new Star Wars and Marvel content, which brought us “The Mandalorian” and upcoming series like “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” and “WandaVision.”
The @disneyplus exec may have scrapped Kingdom Keepers, but he’s also the guy who said “Let’s do @starwars & @MarvelStudios shows!” So as much as I would’ve liked to make my show, I’m much happier watching #TheMandolorian and can’t wait for #WandaVision. #FanFirstFilmmakerSecond https://t.co/XPYoG5iTAy
— KevinSmith (@ThatKevinSmith) April 5, 2020
In a Facebook Live video, Smith elaborated on his ideas for the series, calling it the “Avengers of Disney.” The series would’ve brought new ideas with those established in the books, including characters like Mickey Mouse and even Walt Disney himself. He also said that the main villain would’ve been Captain Hook, who Smith hoped would be played by Russell Brand.
Please not that there the video contains profanity.
https://www.facebook.com/YesThatKevinSmith/videos/774086259788786/
In another Tweet, Smith recalled his joy in working on the series, saying that he felt that he was being paid “to write Disney fan fiction” and how he wanted to rename the main characters after Imagineers who worked with Walt in the early days of the theme parks.
Thanks, man! It was written with love by a kid who grew up watching “The Wonderful World of Disney” with his family every Sunday night. I renamed the main characters after the original team of Imagineers who worked w/ Walt. Felt like they overpaid me to write @Disney fan fiction! https://t.co/GpZypWuWYK
— KevinSmith (@ThatKevinSmith) April 5, 2020
Would you watch this ambitious series? Let us know in the comments below!
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I would in a heartbeat. This breaks my heart to read. I absolutely loved the books, and still do. Disney execs really need to rethink this. This could be a HUGE money maker. More different characters=more ways for the audience to be interested. They can get hooked for the various characters, and allow for more to want to watch for those characters.
These were amazing books and all my boys loved these! I hope they will get the green light to finish this soon!
That sounds like awesome family time! I grew up on Marvel comics, but really lost interest in the movies over the last couple of years. Based on the money they make, I know I am probably in the minority but I just have not cared for the direction since Civil War. Although Black Panther was good. I am really done after the last 2. I would have loved to have been able to watch this series with my wife and kids. Sounds like a fun, fictional escape. Marvel started that way before they seemed to try to add too much “modern realism”. I see enough of that everyday. I would like for movies like that to stay simple. Good guys win and beat bad guys. Just mix up how it is done without killing off everyone. Just get new actors if the ild ones get tired of doing it. I mean the comics have been going since the 50’s and yet the super heroes still look young! A little suspension of “realism” is fine with something like that. Save the “modern political themes for the oscar nominee films. Anyway, I’ll get off the soap box and go to bed now. Just my opinion by the way. I’m sure other folks feel different and no offense to them. To each their own….
I have been a fan of this book series for years. I always wished they would make a tv series or movie from them especially now that Disney+ is here. I had no idea something was actually being worked on let alone that it had been scrapped. This frustrates me. I hope they come back to it again sometime soon.
kingdom keepers is one of my all time favourite book series. if it were to get made into a tv series that would be amazing! i would watch every episode over and over again. i feel like it would be so cool to see how they would make all of that come to life, and see the theatrical and technical side of everything come together. too bad it hasn’t happened yet. maybe it will some time in the future.
HEEEEEEELLLLLLL YA!!!!!!!! When reading them I thought cant wait to see this in real life. Would make for great tv. Young people and adults would watch this. Totally a mistake not doing this.
Too much IP? The series only uses what’s in the parks…and we all know Disney execs think the parks can never have too much IP!
I am a 26 year old Disney lover!! I read all of these wonderful books and absolutely fell in love with the story! If this actually became a series I would be thrilled and watch it in a heartbeat! Please Disney make this a series for all of us big kids at heart!
I loved this series growing up and would have loved to see it on Disney+. I have wanted to be an engineer ever since I was eight after reading about imagineers for the first time in these books. I hope they reconsider and start working on this project again.
My family & I would absolutely LOVE this as a series. I hope they reconsider as this was a huge mistake to cancel it.