Full Breakdown
Colman Domingo and Robert O’Hara to Co-Write Live-Action “Princess Tiana” Feature
7/18/2026, 4:15:05 AM
New Tiana Live-Action Feature Announced
Colman Domingo, a two-time Oscar nominee, is slated to co-write an original live-action film centered on Princess Tiana, the heroine of Disney’s 2009 animated feature *Princess and the Frog*. The project will be developed with playwright-director Robert O’Hara, a 2020 Tony-nominated creator of *Slave Play*. According to industry sources, the screenplay is being positioned as a spinoff rather than a direct remake, and the venture remains in early development with no distribution deal confirmed.
Background: Original Film and Disney’s Live-Action Strategy
*Princess and the Frog* debuted in 2009, directed by John Musker and Ron Clements, and earned $267 million worldwide. It was nominated for three Academy Awards, including Best Animated Feature and two nominations for Randy Newman’s songs “Almost There” and “Down in New Orleans.” Disney has since pursued live-action adaptations of its classic animated catalog, including *Tangled* (currently filming), *Stepsisters* (a Cinderella spinoff), *Lilo & Stitch 2* (by Chris Sanders), and *Impossible Creatures* (based on Katherine Rundell’s series). Recent live-action releases have shown mixed box-office results, with the *Moana* adaptation opening to $43 million in the U.S./Canada and the *Lilo & Stitch* remake surpassing $1 billion globally in 2025.
Creative Team Profiles
Domingo’s recent credits include Emmy-nominated performances on Netflix’s *Four Seasons* and HBO’s *Euphoria*, a Tony nomination for the 2023 production *Fat Ham*, and authorship of the 2018 musical *Summer: The Donna Summer Musical*. He is represented by WME, Liebman Entertainment, and Shreck Rose Dapello Adams Berlin & Dunham.
O’Hara’s film work includes the 2011 horror thriller *Inheritance*; his theatrical oeuvre features *Bootycandy*, a Lambda Literary Award-winning drama exploring racial and sexual identity. He is represented by CAA and Weintraub Tobin Chediak Coleman Grodin.
Industry Context and Potential Risks
Analysts note that Disney’s live-action subgenre can be volatile; a misstep may prompt media criticism, as occurred with the recent *Moana* adaptation. The Tiana project’s spinoff format seeks to differentiate it from full remakes, but its commercial prospects remain uncertain until a studio commitment is secured.
What’s Next
Sources indicate the screenplay is still being drafted and that negotiations for production financing are ongoing. No release window or studio partnership has been announced.
