Disney+ Reboots Failed Netflix Show With Potential 10-Season Future

Disney is bringing another popular animated property into the world of live action. The company has officially started developing a live-action reboot of The Last Kids on Earth, a series that was previously adapted as an animated show on Netflix.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Disney+ and Disney Channel have ordered a pilot episode for the new live-action version. The project will be written and produced by Chad Fiveash and James Stoteraux, known for their work on The Vampire Diaries. Kevin Tancharoen, who directed episodes of Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD, has also been chosen to direct the pilot.

The move continues a major trend in Hollywood, where studios have been turning successful animated movies and shows into live-action projects. While the trend has become especially popular in recent years, adaptations have been happening for decades, with earlier examples including films like The Flintstones and Casper.

Disney has become one of the biggest companies behind this approach, finding major success with live-action versions of animated classics. Movies like Lilo & Stitch and The Lion King have become huge hits, proving that audiences remain interested in seeing familiar stories recreated in new ways.

Netflix has also followed the trend with projects like Wednesday, its live-action take on The Addams Family, and plans for a live-action Scooby-Doo series. Now, Disney is hoping The Last Kids on Earth can become another long-running franchise.

The Last Kids on Earth began as a book series created by Max Brallier, with illustrations by Douglas Holgate. The first book was released in 2015 and introduced readers to Jack Sullivan, a 13-year-old orphan who must survive a monster-filled world after a zombie outbreak hits his hometown of Wakefield, Massachusetts.

The series became a major success, becoming a New York Times bestseller and expanding into a much larger franchise. Over time, it grew to include ten main books, an interactive Survival Guide, three standalone books, and a graphic novel adaptation.

That large amount of source material gives Disney the chance to build a long-running series if the live-action reboot becomes successful. The story has enough content to potentially continue for many seasons, with the possibility of adapting the books over a longer period.

Netflix previously released an animated version of The Last Kids on Earth, which ran for three seasons and included a special episode. However, that adaptation only covered part of the overall story, leaving many events from the books unexplored.

The new live-action version could give fans a chance to see more of Jack’s adventures and the full story brought to life. However, one major challenge could be keeping the young cast at the right age.

As seen with shows like Stranger Things, child actors can grow quickly during production. Since the characters in The Last Kids on Earth are meant to be kids, a long production schedule could create challenges if the series becomes a success.

For now, Disney is only moving forward with a pilot episode rather than ordering a full season. This means the first episode will determine whether the project continues.

The pilot will not only test the story and characters but also how well the young cast fits into the roles. If Disney decides to move forward, the series could become another major live-action franchise based on an animated property. But first, The Last Kids on Earth will need to prove it can survive the jump from animation to live action.

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