Disney+’s The Princess and The Frog spinoff series, Tiana, officially has a writer. According to Variety, Joyce Sherri has signed on as the animated series’ lead writer and director. Sherri most recently worked as a writer on Mika Flanagan’s Netflix series, Midnight Mass. Tiana was initially announced during Disney’s investor day in 2020 and had been expected to debut this year but is now looking at a 2024 launch instead.
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In addition to her work on Midnight Mass, Sherri has written and directed several short films, including Beauty, Forever, Down, Down, Baby, and The Family Stone and won the 2020 Slamdance screenplay competition for her feature, Sweet Sixteen.
As for Tiana, the series will see Anika Noni Rose reprise her role as the voice of Tiana. The series is described as following Tiana as she “sets off for a grand new adventure as the newly crowned Princess of Maldonia, but a calling to her New Orleans past isn’t far behind.” The series is set to be produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios, which also made The Princess and The Frog. Nathan Curtis is set to produce with Jennifer Lee and Stella Meghie as executive producers. Meghie had previously been set to write and direct the series.
Tiana is just the latest Disney+ series follow up to beloved Disney animated films. Zootopia, Big Hero 6, and Cars all have gotten follow ups. A Moana Disney+ series is also in the works and is eyeing a 2024 release.
The Princess and The Frog Star Recently Reprised Their Role for Disney Parks’ Tiana’s Bayou Adventure
Earlier this year, it was announced that Jenifer Lewis, who voiced the wise Mama Odie in the 2009 film, was reprising the role for Disney Parks ride, joining other returning cast members Bruno Campos, Michael Leon Wooley, and Anika Noni Rose.
“As depicted in a newly released rendering, Mama Odie jokes with guests along their journey after a special display of her magic,” Disney said in a statement. “The two-hundred-year-old Bayou Fairy Godmother, with her eccentric belongings and seeing eye snake, Juju, is comically eccentric, yet wise and all knowing, throughout the adventure. We’re so delighted that legendary actress Jenifer Lewis, who starred as the voice of Mama Odie in Walt Disney Animation Studios’ The Princess and the Frog, is once again returning to her role for the attraction.”
Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, which replaces Splash Mountain in both Disneyland and Walt Disney World, is expected to open in 2024.
What is The Princess and The Frog About?
The Princess and The Frog is described as a modern twist on a classic tale and features a beautiful girl named Tiana who dreams of owning her own restaurant. When she meets a frog prince who desperately wants to be human again, a fateful kiss leads them both on a hilarious adventure through the mystical bayous of Louisiana. The film received three Oscar nominations at the 82nd Academy Awards, one for Best Animated Feature and two for Best Original Song.
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