The J-Lo Cinderella Series Is Still Happening, Apparently

It's been three years since the announcement that Jennifer Lopez was working on a serial adaptation of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella. At this point, it seemed like the project was cancelled, given that nothing else was announced since then. Impossible things are happening every day, and Disney+ has landed the rights to it after a bidding war with Amazon. It looks like the pumpkin is still fresh. When it was first announced, three other Cinderella adaptations were released within the same year. Enough time has passed that it isn't as derivative now as it was at the time. Still, the serial format is perplexing, not to mention the fact that it has been in production for at least three years and still doesn't have a release window.

There have been new developments since the project was first announced, namely that it will be the backstory of the Fairy Godmother, which is reminiscent of another series that got announced years ago. The Deadline article states that the series will be told "from the perspective of the fairy godparents," which is already a diversion from the original fairy tale. While the new angle is certainly interesting and could make for a unique retelling, I'm wondering why this isn't a brand-new "Cinderella" adaptation and instead references a specific musical that has had three film adaptations already. If it's veering in such a different direction, why call it Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella at all? Did she just want the rights to use the music?

Although J-Lo's name is attached to this project, she will probably not be donning the glass slippers this time. Instead, she is producing it, and good for her! I love seeing creative women take on new challenges in their careers. None of the actors have been announced yet, meaning there is a possibility that she may star in it, but she would be more likely to take on the role of the Fairy Godmother than Cinderella. The 1997 adaptation of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella was produced by Whitney Houston, who played the Fairy Godmother after a little persuasion from its star, Brandy. If J-Lo takes on the role as well, this would mark the second time a producer of this musical plays this iconic character.

Satisfying both the fairy tale and pop culture angles, it's no wonder Disney was determined to snatch this series from Amazon Prime. As long as they don't take creative control from J-Lo, their ownership will be beneficial since the series' target audience is more likely to consist of Disney+ subscribers. The limited serial format is common on Disney+ with shows like WandaVision, which told a complete story in just nine episodes. Episodic retellings of "Cinderella" are rarer than movies, but there have been some, including an obscure anime in 1996. Since this adaptation is based on a musical and produced by a singer, it will likely contain songs. They may be the same ones as the Rodgers and Hammerstein show, along with some new ones to fill the longer timeframe.

After three years of silence, the Jennifer Lopez-produced serial adaptation of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella is moving forward on Disney+ after winning its bidding war against Amazon. This unique retelling will focus on the story from the perspective of the fairy godparents, offering a fresh take on the classic tale. With Jennifer Lopez as a producer and Rachel Shukert as writer, executive producer, and showrunner, the series promises an interesting blend of music and storytelling. Since no release date or casting details have been announced yet, fans will have to wait for more updates. Are you looking forward to this project? Let me know in the comments!