Disney Greenlights Animated 'Artemis Fowl' Series with Author Eoin Colfer as Executive Producer

Key points

• An animated series based on the 'Artemis Fowl' books has been greenlit for Disney Channel and Disney+.
• Author Eoin Colfer will serve as an executive producer alongside Ben Juwono and Colleen Evanson.
• The news was announced by Colfer during the '25 Years of Artemis Fowl' panel at New York Comic-Con.
• The series follows 13-year-old genius Artemis Fowl as he uncovers a high-tech underground world of fairies.
• This is the second screen adaptation attempt, following a 2020 live-action film that received negative reviews and was removed from streaming in 2023.

Background

The 'Artemis Fowl' book series, which launched in 2001, has sold over 35 million copies worldwide and been translated into 48 languages. The previous live-action adaptation, released on Disney+ in 2020, was pulled from the platform in 2023 due to poor reception. This new animated project is part of a broader trend of Disney and Marvel expanding their animated slate, as seen with recent announcements for 'Marvel Zombies' and 'VisionQuest' at the same New York Comic-Con event.

How outlets are covering it

Both Deadline and Variety report the greenlight and Colfer's involvement as executive producer. Variety provides additional context on the franchise's commercial success, noting the 35 million copies sold and 48 language translations, as well as the failure of the 2020 live-action film. Deadline focuses more on the immediate announcement and the quotes from Colfer and Disney Kids & Family president Ayo Davis. Both outlets agree on the core facts but emphasize different aspects of the story's history and potential.

Why it matters

The greenlight of an animated 'Artemis Fowl' series signals Disney's continued investment in adapting popular children's book franchises, particularly after the failure of the live-action version. It also highlights the importance of author involvement in ensuring a faithful and successful adaptation, as Colfer's role as executive producer suggests a closer collaboration between the source material and the screen adaptation.

What to watch

The next steps will likely involve the development of the series, including casting, writing, and animation. There may be further announcements at future events or through Disney's official channels. The success of the animated series will be closely watched, given the previous failure of the live-action adaptation.