Disney’s Anticipated ‘Tiana’ Series Officially Shelved, Enraging Fans
Disney first introduced its plans to release 'Tiana' in 2020.
Published March 4 2025, 2:56 p.m. ET
Disney made history 2009 when it debuted its first Black princess, Princess Tiana, in The Princess and the Frog. Tiana, voiced by Anika Noni Rose, provided a cultural win, allowing Black children to finally see someone who looked like them in one of the studio's classic fairytales.
The Princess and the Frog was so monumental that Disney's streaming service, Disney Plus, decided to recreate the magic. In 2020, Disney Plus announced its plans to debut Tiana, a series following Tiana's life, with Anika reprising her role. The series was highly anticipated by fans, who were shocked to discover the plans for its production were halted by Disney Plus after five years of being on the shelves.
So, why isn't Tiana happening? Here's everything to know.
Disney's 'Tiana' series was ultimately shelved due to financial issues.
After years of keeping fans waiting, Walt Disney Animated Studios confirmed it officially ended its plans to launch Tiana on Disney Plus. The Hollywood Reporter stated Disney shelved the project as part of its pivot out of original long-form content on the streamer. The company has also scrapped its plans to debut an unannounced feature film slated to air alongside Tiana and will favor its popular short-form shows such as Bluey.
An insider reportedly further shared that Tiana's plans changed due to the financial setbacks happening at Disney as it abandons its initial structure. The source said "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 cancellation received backlash on social media.
Disney's decision to shelve Tiana didn't sit right, with many fans elated to see the New Orleans princess on-screen again. The news of the show being canceled before it began caused many to question the company's motives, with many claiming racism is the culprit.
Tiana's abrupt cancellation came as several scripted and unscripted programs centered around Black people were also canceled or shelved. Additionally, Disney's other scrapped project, a TV show centered around another popular character, Moana, was shelved and later turned into a sequel.
to have a moment truly"This was a chance for the first black Disney princess to truly have a moment and further develop her character & not be a d--n frog the whole time," one user wrote on X (formerly Twitter). "Moana's show can get turned into a sequel, but Tiana's show just gets canceled.... let that f---ing sink in."
"I’m so angry about the Tiana series getting canceled that it’s hard even to put it into words," another said. "Let Tiana have SOMETHING Disney!"
"So annoyed that they canceled the Princess Tiana series," another chimed in. "For every little Black girl out there, this movie meant everything to us, and to have this series would mean even more… So to see yall really don’t care for us why should we support you!"
Many viewers were also upset by Disney's decision to move forward to feature Tiana in a smaller capacity. The studio is reportedly in the early development stage for another, separate short-form show based on The Princess and the Frog, with Joyce Sherri attached as director and writer and Steve Anderson also directing. There's been no word on whether Anika will voice Tiana in the revised project.