The floodgates for live-action adaptations of beloved animated properties have been flung open in the wake of One Piece’s massive success on Netflix, which has seemingly broken the age old curse. With more and more adaptations on the way, Disney joins the fray and is reportedly working on a reboot of the popular 90s animated TV series Gargoyles.
According to a new report by Variety, writer Gary Dauberman has tapped James Wan’s Atomic Monster to produce the live-action remake of the beloved animated series. Dauberman will be serving as writer and executive producer for the upcoming project. Wan is also serving as an executive producer with Disney Branded Television as the production studio.
The project description reads: “Based on the cult classic Disney animated series, Goliath is the last of a heroic race of gargoyle warriors who once lived among mankind. Free from a centuries-long curse that turned him into stone, Goliath struggles to solve the mystery of his past while watching over modern-day New York City alongside police detective Elisa Maza.”
Dauberman is a veteran of the horror genre best known for his work on the Annable movies which is also part of Wan’s conjuring universe. Dauberman also wrote The Nun and its sequel and served as co-writer for It. Having worked on so many horror movies, Dauberman is perfect to helm the live-action adaptation of Gargoyles.
The original Gargoyles series was created by Greg Weisman in collaboration with Walt Disney Television Animations. The series differed from most Disney shows at that time for its darker themes, incorporating sorcery and sci-fi elements.
The TV series was popular with older audiences thanks to its complex story arcs and melodrama. The animated show drew favorable comparisons to Batman: The Animated Series and X-Men, both of which are widely considered classics.
The voice cast for the original series included Keith David, Salli Richardson, Jeff Bennett, Bill Fagerbakke, Thom Adcox-Hernandez, Ed Asner, Frank Welker, Bridgitte Bako, Marina Sirtis, and Jonathan Frakes. Given that the upcoming live-action adaptation will likely feature motion capture, the original voice actors could potentially return for the reboot.
“You know, those of us who were involved from the beginning… I’ve always wondered why they stopped it in the first place,” David told Comicbook.com in 2021. “[We’ve wondered] why we haven’t come back to a reboot. I mean, I would love nothing more than to revisit Goliath.”
He adds, “You know, he was absolutely one of my very, very, very, very favorite characters. I’ve always maintained that when I grow up, I want to be like Goliath.” The original series is currently available for streaming on Disney+.
