Disney's Canceled Reboot Of Iconic '90s Fantasy Franchise Could've Been One Of Its Best

Published Sep 6, 2026, 5:00 PM EDT Faith Roswell is a Senior Writer on Screen Rant's Classic TV team. Since earning her degree in Creative Writing over a decade ago, Faith has written articles on film and TV from a variety of different angles. Faith now combines her knowledge of psychology with her love of monster movies to give more insight into what makes the best ones. You may have read her Screen Rant lists and features covering horror, sci-fi, and fantasy, or read her Amazon Top 10 book, "Movie Monsters of the Deep." Faith has had an extensive career as a writer, appearing on BBC live radio, researching true crime for Rotten Mango podcast, and writing for publications including Mental Floss, Atlas Obscura, and The Daily Jaws before beginning here at Screen Rant. Disney's love of live-action reboots has given us virtually shot-for-shot remakes of some of the franchises' most successful movies, but ignored the potential for something much more exciting that still captures the nostalgia factor. It is hardly surprising that so many animated 90s TV shows are still beloved today, with series like The X-Men being aimed at a young audience yet without patronizing its viewers. The action, adventure, and distinctive animation style of some of the best 90s TV shows are instantly recognizable today, even if the series were not seen as masterpieces at the time. One of these forgotten 90s classics is the three-season Gothic adventure, Gargoyles, which followed a group of Manhattan gargoyles who came to life at night to help fight crime in the city. The show was surprisingly dark, combining sci-fi, fantasy, and an epic Shakespearean tone with the noir aesthetic popularized by Batman: The Animated Series. With an 84% positive audience score on Rotten Tomatoes and live-action reboots being a common theme for Disney, bringing back the nostalgic series in live-action form could have been a recipe for success, but the planned live-action Gargoyles reboot was canceled, disappointing many. Disney's Scrapped Live-Action Gargoyles Reboot Could Have Been Amazing Many TV shows have taken a dark and exciting turn recently, with Spider-Noir putting a new spin on the iconic superhero, Wednesday bringing back The Addams Family, and The Owl House combining the best of Disney animation with the epic feel of Adventure Time. An animated reboot of Gargoyles would not feel out of place in this TV landscape, but a live-action version would have been even more exciting. The idea might not have worked in previous years, but we now have the technology and visual effects to do the show's aesthetic justice. Special effects technology has taken a leap forward, and Stranger Things has proven that distinctive high-budget visuals can define the legacy of a show. While the 90s series has no Demogorgon equivalent, the best characters in Gargoyles have iconic looks that could easily be recreated in a live-action format and used to represent the show. Even the somber and moody take on Manhattan could be given a modern treatment that respects the art of the original series, with creators needing to look no further than Spider-Noir for inspiration. With so many possible approaches, there would be no better time than now to reboot Gargoyles. It is not currently known why Disney scrapped the live-action Gargoyles reboot, with creator Greg Weisman telling ComicsOnline that "the Atomic Monster had the license to develop a live-action Gargoyles for Disney+, and that’s dead." With Disney canceling several live-action series, it is possible that the platform is moving in a different direction generally, but it is disappointing news to fans of the original show. That said, Gargoyles is currently streaming on Disney+ for people who want to discover, or rediscover, all three seasons of the 90s cult hit. The '90s Gargoyles Series Is Still Worth Watching Gargoyles was unique for its complex and layered storytelling, with roots in ancient literature, and the best episodes of Gargoyles highlight the reasons why it is still worth watching today. The characters, being centuries old, undergo intense personal transformations with the show's smart writing choices telling these stories within a short period of time. This would be difficult for any TV series, especially one aimed at a young audience, but Gargoyles did this over and over again. The story is easy for younger viewers to follow, while older ones will appreciate the many references from characters' names to quotes. There are 78 episodes of Gargoyles, with season 2 being especially long with 52 episodes. Despite the cancelation of the live-action reboot, even still Disney appears to understand the show's timeless appeal, with Gargoyles having three competing Disney reboots. While none have yet been greenlit, the fact the there is still ongoing discussion and pitching regarding the possibility of bringing the show back in some form is optimistic news. Gargoyles' 90s nostalgia factor, dark fantasy tone, and deep lore make it the perfect fantasy series for the streaming platform, and a reboot could have been Disney's best live-action show in a long time. Source: ComicsOnline Release Date 1994 - 1997-00-00 Network ABC, Syndication Directors Dennis Woodyard, Frank Paur, Charles E. Bastien, Takamitsu Kawamura, Butch Lukic Cast Salli Richardson-Whitfield Elisa Maza (voice) Gargoyles is a dark fantasy/action television series created for Disney in a major departure tonally. The series follows a group of gargoyles that lived during a time of war and were cursed by the humans they protected to live in the day in stone and take form at night. After one thousand years of imprisonment, they wake to discover they now live in New York City and eventually become the defenders of the night.