When The Princess and the Frog debuted in 2009, Disney fans were introduced to Tiana, the company’s first Black princess. Set against the rich backdrop of New Orleans, the film followed Tiana’s ambitious journey to open her own restaurant. Along the way, she faced adversity, love, and, of course, a magical transformation into a frog after kissing a prince cursed by dark magic.
With the help of her friends Ray the firefly and Louis the alligator, Tiana’s story unfolded as one of empowerment and hope, making The Princess and the Frog not just a tale of romance, but a reflection of perseverance and dreams.
Related: The Shocking Truth Behind Disney’s Original Plans for Princess Tiana
Over a decade later, Disney made an exciting announcement for fans of the franchise. In 2020, the company revealed that it would be producing a Princess and the Frog series, titled Tiana, for Disney+. The series was expected to pick up where the movie left off, following Tiana as she began her new life as the Princess of Maldonia, embarking on new adventures across the seas.
Fans were thrilled by the idea of seeing more of Tiana’s journey. Originally slated for release in 2023, the series was delayed until 2024. As time went on, however, Disney removed all mentions of a potential release date.
Today, after years of anticipation, Disney has officially confirmed the cancellation of the Tiana series. The decision has left fans disappointed, especially given how long they had waited for the beloved character’s next adventure.
But what led to this unfortunate turn of events?
A Change in Disney’s Streaming Strategy
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the series fell victim to Disney’s shifting strategy for streaming content. In an exclusive report, the publication confirmed that the cancellation was due to both the high production costs and the difficulties the series faced in meeting the expectations set by the company.
Despite multiple efforts to revive the project and several changes to the creative team, Tiana could not meet the standards needed to continue.
Sources close to the streaming series say that despite best efforts, including several changes to the creative team, Tiana ultimately could not get to where it needed to be given production costs.
The decision to shelve Tiana and the unannounced Disney+ movie follows last year’s news that Pixar would no longer prioritize developing longform episodic content after the release of Dream Productions and Win or Lose on Disney+.
Related: Live-Action ‘Princess and the Frog’ Poster Goes Viral, ‘Stranger Things’ Actor Included
This cancellation aligns with Disney’s decision to scale back its long-form content creation for Disney+, a move that also saw the halt of other ambitious projects.
For Disney, this marks a significant re-evaluation of its streaming efforts, as the company has faced increasing pressure to provide reliable and profitable content for its platform.
Struggles with theme park Attractions May Have Played a Role
In addition to the challenges with the streaming series, the Princess and the Frog franchise also faced complications within the theme parks. In 2020, Disney announced it would close Splash Mountain, one of its most iconic rides, in order to re-theme it as Tiana’s Bayou Adventure.
Related: Disney Makes Big Change to Tiana’s Bayou Adventure at Magic Kingdom Effective Immediately
The decision came with mixed reactions from Disney fans, many of whom cherished Splash Mountain for its nostalgic value and classic song, “Zippity Doo Dah.” Protests and petitions were launched to save the ride, but Disney moved forward with the re-theme, eager to bring the magic of Tiana’s story to life at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World.
Despite the excitement surrounding the re-theme, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure has had its own share of problems. After its opening in 2024, the ride quickly became infamous for technical difficulties, ride breakdowns, and malfunctions with the animatronics. These issues have been a blow to the attraction’s reception, and some fans have expressed concerns about the ride’s longevity.
While the ride may not have directly caused the cancellation of the Tiana series, it’s possible that the ongoing issues with the attraction, combined with the mixed fan reception, created an atmosphere of uncertainty around the Princess and the Frog brand.
A New Direction for Princess Tiana
Despite the cancellation of the series, Disney isn’t entirely abandoning Princess Tiana. Instead of a long-form series, the company is opting to develop an animated special, which will still feature Tiana in a brand-new adventure.
The special will be helmed by Joyce Sherri, who was initially slated as the writer and director for the series. This new direction aims to preserve Tiana’s story while also offering a more cost-effective format for her future adventures.
While the animated special may not fulfill fans’ hopes for a full series, it represents a shift in Disney’s strategy to continue exploring Tiana’s world. Whether or not the special will live up to the excitement surrounding the original series concept remains to be seen.
What do you think of Disney’s decision to cancel Tiana? Do you feel that the animated special will be a fitting substitute for the series? Share your thoughts in the comments!
