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Disney has pulled the plug on its "Tiana" princess series, a show that would have featured the studio's first Black princess.
According to the Hollywood Reporter, Walt Disney Animation Studios said it axed the "Tiana" series amid a shift away from producing original long-form content for streaming.
A spokesperson noted that the move will prompt layoffs in its Vancouver studio.
The cancelation comes after the "Tiana" series was first announced in December 2020. The show was set to be a musical featuring Anika Noni Rose, who would reprise her role as Tiana from the 2009 film The Princess and the Frog.
According to the Hollywood Reporter, sources said the series couldn't get to where it needed to be given the production costs. The show went through several changes to the creative teambefore it was ultimately axed, per the outlet.
Disney said it's still developing a separate shortform special inspired by The Princess and the Frog. The project is currently under early development and is set to feature all-new storytelling based on the film with Joyce Sherri and Steve Anderson directing.
Several social media users condemned the animation studio's move to scrap the long-form series based on Disney's iconic Black princess, especially amid President Donald Trump's efforts to eliminate DEI.
"Yeah this is extremely disappointing and disturbing," one social media user said of the news.
"Disney quietly pull back their DEI effort and now they’re treating us the way target has treated us. It’s time to boycott Disney," another person commented.
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