Disney Quietly Canceled 2 Secret TV Shows in Works

Disney has canceled two Indiana Jones television projects that were in development at Lucasfilm. The cancellations came to light amid broader reporting on leadership changes at the studio and scrutiny of the franchise’s future following the underperformance of its most recent film.

Two Indiana Jones projects were quietly canceled

Lucasfilm reportedly canceled two Indiana Jones TV series that had never reached the public announcement stage. The first was an animated series, internally codenamed “Reggie” after the snake from Raiders of the Lost Ark. Spearheaded by Star Wars: Visions director Rodrigo Blaas, the show aimed to chronicle Indy’s adventures set between the mainline movies, following a bridging strategy similar to Lucasfilm’s Star Wars: The Clone Wars.

The second canceled project was a live-action series focused on Abner Ravenwood, Indiana Jones’ mentor and the father of Marion Ravenwood. This prequel concept, initially in development in 2022, would have explored the character who was only ever mentioned in Raiders of the Lost Ark (via The Wrap).

While no official reason was given for canceling either show, the timing points squarely to the financial failure of 2023’s Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny as the likely cause. The film, which cost a reported $352.3 million to produce, grossed only $384 million worldwide and was written down as a major loss.

The future of the franchise now rests with new Lucasfilm co-heads Dave Filoni and Lynwen Brennan. In her exit interview with Deadline, outgoing president Kathleen Kennedy suggested the property is dormant but not dead. “I don’t think Indy will ever be done, but I don’t think anybody is interested right now in exploring it,” she said. “But these are timeless movies, and Indy will never be done … So we get to say whether there’s going to be any more, or not.”

For now, the cancellations suggest Disney and Lucasfilm are taking a cautious approach to Indiana Jones, focusing resources elsewhere as the studio reassesses where, or if, the iconic adventurer fits into its future plans.

Source: Comingsoon.net