Disney Doesn't Know What to Do with Tiana!

Disney, as a company, has been a bit of a train wreck lately. First, they spat on the legacy of the first animated feature film of all time, and then they did a shot-for-shot remake of a movie everyone had already seen and expected people to go back to theaters for it. Their latest blunder revolves around the cancelled Tiana series, a highly anticipated show about a beloved character. At the same time the Tiana series was announced, Disney also unveiled plans for a Moana series that was also cancelled. The Moana series was then converted into a 2024 sequel. Now, Disney wants to do something similar with Tiana, but in live-action.

Over the weekend, Disney announced plans for a live-action movie to be co-written by Colman Domingo and Robert O'Hara, featuring Tiana. The movie is not a live-action remake (thank goodness) and will likely be either a sequel or a prequel focusing on Tiana's goal of running a restaurant. Many fans have complained that, despite being the first black Disney Princess, Tiana's movie spent more time showing her as a frog than as a human. A feature-length film portraying the character in her true form would redeem this and potentially be a welcome addition to the franchise. However, there is no good reason for said movie not to be animated like its predecessor. The only reason I can think of is that Disney hates traditional animation, and the reception of CGI sequels to hand-drawn films is poor.

Lest we forget, Disney already hired a talented actress to play Tiana in Once Upon a Time, but they didn't do a whole lot with the character. That seems to be a tragic pattern with this franchise. Since The Princess and the Frog is such a beloved and groundbreaking movie, Disney continues to come up with big plans for the film and character, and then falls short in the execution. Another example of this is Tiana's Bayou Adventure. Instead of giving the revered character her own ride, they decided to revamp an old ride, Splash Mountain, with a few new Princess and the Frog-inspired animatronics. While it's great that she has more representation in the parks now, they could have done a lot more.

Since most details about the animated Tiana series were kept safely under wraps, it would be easy for the writers to recycle some of the concepts behind it and present them as a new film, just like they did with Moana 2. A Tiana series with a similar plot structure and aesthetic to Tangled: The Series would have been wonderful, but it seems like those days are far behind us. There are two different directions that this movie could take. It could either be a prequel focusing on Tiana training to run her father's restaurant before he passed away, or it could be a sequel about trying to run a restaurant while juggling royal duties as the new princess of Maldonia. Either way has potential, but that's assuming this project doesn't also get cancelled midway through.

Between revolving executives, recycled ideas, and cutting costs, it's clear that Disney is uncertain about the future for its classic characters and as an entertainment company in general. A new animated Tiana series or movie would have been more welcome than a live-action interpretation. At least it's a new story, which is still a step in the right direction. How would you like to see Tiana's story continue? Would you have preferred an animated series, or are you satisfied with the potential of a live-action sequel? Let me know in the comments!