Colman Domingo Is Reportedly Co-Writing A Tiana Live-Action Spinoff

Disney cancelled the Tiana animated series just over a year ago, axing a project that was supposed to give the studio’s first Black princess the expansion she deserved. Fans had waited five years, only to have it taken away. The decision sparked anger, with fans questioning Disney’s commitment to animated projects centred on diverse characters.

Now, there is new hope. Colman Domingo, the Oscar-nominated actor, who recently earned two Emmy nominations and played Joe Jackson in the billion-dollar Michael Jackson biopic Michael, is reportedly in early talks to co-write an original live-action feature about Princess Tiana with Tony-nominated playwright Robert O’Hara. The project is being described as a spin-off, not a remake. That distinction is promising.

EXCLUSIVE: Hot off of notching two Emmy noms this year, we hear that Colman Domingo is looking to co-write an original live-action feature about Princess Tiana inspired by Disney’s animated 2009 feature The Princess and the Frog. We understand, per sources, that the two-time Oscar nominee will co-pen the feature with 2020 Tony-nominated Slave Play director Robert O’Hara. It’s still early days on the project, particularly as far as deals go.

Princess and the Frog was the last hand-drawn animated feature from Disney, released in 2009 and directed by John Musker and Ron Clements. Set in New Orleans during the 1920s and based on E.D. Baker’s The Frog Princess, the pic follows a waitress, Tiana (Anika Noni Rose), who dreams of opening her own restaurant.

We hear that Domingo and O’Hara’s take is being billed as a spinoff of the animated feature rather than a full-on adaptation.

Deadline

Editor’s note: The Princess and the Frog was Disney’s second-to-last traditionally animated feature. Winnie the Pooh followed in 2011.

Why This Approach Works

The biggest clue is that Deadline’s sources are describing the project as a spin-off rather than a live-action remake. It is being described as a spin-off, and that changes the conversation entirely.

That may be the smartest decision Disney has made with one of its legacy princess films in years. Audiences have become increasingly weary of shot-for-shot remakes. Films like Mufasa show that Disney has more creative freedom when it expands an established world instead of recreating the same story.

A spin-off also sidesteps one of the biggest criticisms of The Princess and the Frog. Disney kept Tiana in her frog form for most of the original film, a creative choice that frustrated viewers who felt the studio refused to let its first Black princess exist as a human on screen for long enough. Creating a new story means Disney does not have to repeat that dynamic.

It also allows the studio to preserve what made the 2009 film special. Rather than trying to recreate iconic performances or remake every memorable scene, Disney can tell a fresh story while leaving the original untouched.

The Talent Behind the Project

Colman Domingo is one of the most respected actors working today. He has earned two Oscar nominations, for Rustin and Sing Sing, and he is currently racking up Emmy nominations for his work on Euphoria and The Four Seasons. He also wrote the book for Summer: The Donna Summer Musical and co-produced Fat Ham, a modern take on Shakespeare’s Hamlet that earned a Tony nomination. His involvement signals that this project will be taken seriously.

Robert O’Hara is a Tony-nominated playwright and director whose work explores race, identity and sexuality with sharp, unflinching honesty. His play Bootycandy won a Lambda Literary Award, and his direction of Slave Play earned him a Tony nomination. He brings a distinct creative voice that could give the film a depth rarely seen in Disney’s live-action adaptations.

The combination of Domingo and O’Hara suggests Disney is not simply trying to cash in on nostalgia. They are bringing in real creative talent to build something new.