Disney Shifts Focus: ‘Agatha All Along’ to Lead New Series Strategy
When it comes to animated magic in the West, Disney is the undisputed pioneer. The studio has led the animation industry for decades, and its name remains synonymous with animated movies and TV shows.
However, Disney has faced challenges in recent years, with its Disney+ series being a significant part of those issues. In response, Disney is revamping its approach to Disney+ series, with a new strategy set to be introduced by an upcoming show.
That show is Agatha All Along, which will debut later this month and serve as the flagship for Disney’s new series strategy. Stay tuned as we dive into all the details about these changes and what they mean for the future of Disney+!
Disney’s approach to its streaming shows has traditionally set it apart from other services. Instead of employing a showrunner, Disney would have a head writer manage the writing and story development. Once production began, control would shift to the directors and producers, who would then shape the show according to their vision.
While it’s unclear how this method affected some of the more controversial series, such as The Acolyte, Disney is now shifting its strategy to align more with industry norms. Agatha All Along will be the first to implement this new approach.
In this new strategy, Agatha All Along will have a dedicated showrunner, a role filled by Jac Schaeffer, who previously worked on WandaVision. Schaeffer confirmed this strategic shift in a recent interview with The Direct.
“I still subscribe to the initial pitch about what [the Marvel series] were meant to be, which was like a run of a comic. Because of the episodic nature of it, and the length of it, that it could be a deeper dive into the characters. That’s what it has been.
What’s evolved under [Head of Television] Brad Winderbaum is the idea that it’s not homework. It’s not so much about the interconnected pieces than it’s an opportunity to go down a rabbit hole with a character or a set of characters. That’s been the ride for me on both ‘WandaVision’ and ‘Agatha.’”
Source: The Direct
With the introduction of a showrunner, each series will now have a single individual responsible for overseeing the entire project and making creative decisions from beginning to end. Unlike the previous model, where a head writer crafted the story and then handed off control to others, this approach ensures a more cohesive vision throughout the production process. This strategy has proven effective for successful shows like Amazon’s The Boys and HBO’s House of the Dragon.
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