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You may not have heard of Ronald D. Moore, but odds are, you have heard of one of the many shows he produced. Moore has been a key player in Hollywood for more than 30 years, and his producing career began in 1991 with Star Trek: The Next Generation. From there, his career hasn’t stopped, and he has worked on Star Trek: Voyager, Roswell, Battlestar Galactica, Electric Dreams, and For All Mankind. He is best known for being the man behind the hit Starz series Outlander.
Credit: Screenshot ‘Outlander’ via Starz
In 2019, The Walt Disney Company purchased 20th Century Fox and gained the rights to a ton of movies and television shows, including ones that had yet to be made. In 2020, the Mouse House managed to lure Moore to the studio when Disney told him they wanted him to produce two shows based on iconic Disney cannon.
The first new show would be based on the fantastical 1960 Disney film Swiss Family Robinson, which was based on a book of the same name. Swiss Family Robinson told the story of the Robinsons, who are forced to rebuild their lives on an uninhabited island when their ship is attacked by pirates and runs aground.
Credit: Disney
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The new series — which would air on Disney+ — was first announced in December 2020, with Ron Moore and Crazy Rich Asians (2018) director, Jon M. Chu, attached to the project. In addition to serving as executive producer, Moore was also expected to be a writer on the show. Swiss Family Robinson was announced alongside a new Beauty and the Beast show and a Percy Jackson and the Olympians series.
The Beauty and the Beast series, called Little Town, was ultimately canceled before it was even filmed. However, Percy Jackson was made into a series, which was an absolute hit. It was recently renewed for season two.
Credit: Disney
The second series that Mr. Moore was attached to was The Society of Explorers and Adventurers, a story that is loved by many hardcore Disney fans. The series was announced in 2022, and Qui Nguyen — who wrote Raya and the Last Dragon (2021) and Strange World — was set to write the script.
The Society of Explorers and Adventurers is a fictional group that was created by Disney and consists of scientists, explorers, researchers, artists, travelers, and adventurers from around the world. They are dedicated to the continued exploration of the world’s vast oceans and far-off islands. Their story was first developed in 2001 for Tokyo DisneySea’s Fortress Explorations, and their story was then continued in Hong Kong Disneyland’s Mystic Manor.
Credit: Disney
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It has been years since the series was announced, and it continues to sit in a state of limbo. They were announced while Bob Chapek was still Disney’s CEO and in charge of Disney+. However, since Chapek was fired and former CEO Bob Iger stepped back in, things at Disney+ have changed a lot.
While Chapek was running things, Disney+ lost billions, despite his claims that the streaming service was performing well. Since Iger has been back, he has tightened the purse strings, leading to the cancelation of many series, including National Treasure: Edge of History, Willow, Big Shot, Mighty Ducks: Game Changers, and The Mysterious Benedict Society.
Credit: Disney
Disney also canceled two shows that were filmed but did not air — The Spiderwick Chronicles and Nautilus.
With the seemingly unending delay, Mr. Moore has decided to go back to a studio he has seen a lot of success at, Sony Pictures. Moore made the following announcement after signing back with Sony.
“I’m incredibly happy to return home to Sony Pictures Television. Creating shows with the team there has been enormously gratifying, and I’ve always been impressed by their enthusiasm and commitment to making great shows. I’ve known and admired Katherine [Pope, President of Sony Pictures] since we first worked together at Universal, and I’m really excited for us to work together again to make great television.”
Credit: D23
Disney has not said that Swiss Family Robinson and The Society of Explorers and Adventurers are canceled, but they have not provided any more updates since the shows were announced.
Before leaving Disney, Moore was also set to produce a new series, A Court of Thorns and Roses, for Disney-owned Hulu. The fantasy romance series, based on a book series of the same name, was first announced back in 2021. Like Swiss Family Robinson and The Society of Explorers and Adventurers, A Court of Thorns and Roses has not been canceled but appears to be in limbo.
Do you think Disney should move forward with these three shows? Let us know in the comments!
