Full Breakdown
Disney+ Orders Pilot for “Aquamarine” Reboot with Emma Roberts Returning
6/27/2026, 2:46:56 AM
Pilot Order and Core Premise
Disney+ and Disney Channel have green-lit a pilot for a television adaptation of the 2006 teen-fantasy film *Aquamarine*. The series will follow newcomer Coral, who moves to a “dreamy seaside town,” discovers her mother was a mermaid, and awakens magical powers as hidden oceanic secrets emerge.
Background & Context
The original *Aquamarine* was released in March 2006 by 20th Century Fox, adapting Alice Hoffman’s 2001 YA novel. The film centered on best friends Claire (Emma Roberts) and Hailey (Joanna “JoJo” Levesque) helping a stranded mermaid find true love. Though it earned modest box-office returns and mixed critical response, the movie has since attained cult-favorite status, especially among millennial and Gen Z viewers.
Key Figures & Groups
- Emma Roberts – guest-stars as Claire Brown and serves as executive producer.
- Elizabeth Allen Rosenbaum – returns as director and executive producer; she also directed the 2006 film.
- Susan Cartsonis – original film producer, now executive producer on the pilot.
- Sarah Watson – creator of *The Bold Type*, writer and executive producer of the pilot.
- Disney+ / Disney Channel – commissioning network, expanding its slate of film-to-TV adaptations.
Data & Statistics
- The 2006 film grossed “almost $23 million” worldwide (Deadline).
- Contemporary coverage describes its initial reviews as “mixed” or “moderately positive,” noting it was not a box-office hit.
- Over the past decade the title has been cited as a cult classic, with renewed visibility on TikTok.
Why It Matters
Disney’s pilot order reflects a broader corporate push to revive legacy properties for streaming audiences. Recent Disney-ordered pilots include *Holes*, *Witch Mountain*, *Coven Academy*, *Eerie Elementary*, and *Wizards of Waverly Place*. The *Aquamarine* reboot leverages nostalgia while targeting the current YA fantasy market, a strategy amplified by the film’s viral resurgence on TikTok.
Criticism & Opposition
Industry observers note two points of contention. First, the original film’s lukewarm critical reception raises questions about the commercial viability of a sequel series. Second, the adaptation proceeds without author Alice Hoffman’s involvement, a departure from typical practice; as Screen Rant observes, “It is somewhat out of the norm for adaptations to not have their author onboard in at least an executive producer capacity.”
Official Statements & Responses
Disney+ and Disney Channel announced the pilot order in June 2026, confirming that Roberts, Rosenbaum, Cartsonis, and Watson will lead the project. The network described the series as a “fresh take” that expands the mermaid mythology while honoring the original film’s spirit.
Verbatim Quotes
- “When teenaged Coral moves to a dreamy seaside town, she begins unraveling the truth behind her mother’s disappearance—and discovers her mother was a mermaid, awakening magical powers in Coral just as secrets beneath the waves threaten to surface.” — *Variety*
- “What has made me so happy is that Aquamarine has had this other life on TikTok. It has been, no pun intended, resurfacing. People have been coming up to me in a way that I'm like, 'Do we need to make Aquamarine 2?'” — Emma Roberts, *People*
- “It's just so funny that I did that movie, not to age myself, 18 years ago. Like, that's crazy.” — Emma Roberts, *People*
- “I think I have the starfish earrings. They do [speak to me],” she said. “They used to be nicer, but now they're like, ‘Go to the gym.’ Now they're like my Apple Watch… I think they were given to me.” — Sara Paxton, *People*
- “It is somewhat out of the norm for adaptations to not have their author onboard in at least an executive producer capacity, though Hoffman has notably not been involved with any prior adaptations of her work, the sole exception being the upcoming Practical Magic 2.” — *Screen Rant*
- “Disney has been returning to pilots over the past year, with orders for shows such as Coven Academy, Eerie Elementary and Witch Mountain.” — *BroadcastNow*
What’s Next
No release date has been set for the pilot or a potential series pickup. If green-lit, the show would join Disney’s expanding lineup of nostalgia-driven, fantasy-oriented series slated for Disney+ and Disney Channel in the coming year.
