Why Disney+ Should Adapt More Disney Publishing Books
Disney has adapted many books over the years, including the likes of “Artemis Fowl”, “The Mysterious Benedict Society”, “Peter Pan” and recently “Just Beyond”. But with Disney having a new thirst for content to fill Disney+, Disney has recently announced adaptions of Disney Publishing Worldwide titles, including “Sal & Gabi Break The Universe” and the fan favourite “Percy Jackson”. Let me explain why they should do more adaptions.
Reason #1: They’re Already Adapting Or Have Adapted Several Disney Publishing Titles
Currently, Disney has adaptions of “Percy Jackson”, “Daughter Of The Deep”, and “Sal and Gabi Break The Universe”, as well as Disney previously adapting Disney Publishing titles such as “Artemis Fowl” and “Gabby Duran and The Unsittables”. The facts Disney has adapted or are adapting several Disney Publishing titles. In the case of “Artemis Fowl” and “Percy Jackson” are bestselling book series with millions of fans worldwide.
Reason #2: Building A Better Relationship With Their Authors
Disney has several authors who publish through them, and in recent times Disney has shown they have good working relationships with authors like Eoin Colfer (Artemis Fowl), Rick Riordan (Percy Jackson) and Carlos Hernandez (Sal and Gabi Break The Universe), but that’s just three of their authors. Disney seems to have a great relationship with many of its authors. However, that didn’t stop Mo Williems from signing a deal with HBO Max to adapt his work.
Some of the authors Disney could try to expand their relationships with include Melissa De La Cruz (The Isles Of The Lost), Ryan T. Higgins (Norman Didn’t Do It), Ridley Pearson (Kingdom Keepers) and Alexandra Bracken (The Darkest Minds). Just think of the potential for a new Disney+ series and movies. Adapting these authors works could boost sales for the original books, which happened with Netflix’s adaption of “Shadow and Bone”.
Reason #3: More IPs To Play With
Disney has an extensive catalogue of IP, but some people want fresh content based on IPs that haven’t already been adapted. That’s where Disney publishing comes in. Disney could start calling up all their authors and negotiating deals for so many different book series, including titles like “The Last Fallen Star”, “Tristan Strong”, “The Darkest Minds”, “Kingdom Keepers”, and “The Zodiac Legacy” which would all target different audiences and would meet Disney’s “family-friendly” criteria, especially for the US and Latin American versions of Disney+.
In the streaming era, original content is the key to success and if Disney contacted their authors and bought the rights to a selection of titles so they can produce them for Disney+.
Reason #4: They Can Adapt Their Own Books
Disney and Marvel both have book groups that publish stories based on their IPs, and they have both published dozens of books about characters like “Mickey Mouse”, “Ms Marvel” and “Black Widow” as well as Disney franchises like “Ducktales”, “Big City Greens” and “Disney Princesses”. Disney could adapt these stories because they can create animated shorts and specials for Disney+ focused on these books and the characters they’re based on.
Final Thoughts:
Overall, Disney is sitting on a goldmine if they decide to make deals with their authors to adapt their books into Disney+ original series and movies. Disney could have roughly a hundred new series and films from making deals with all the authors like Graci Kim, Lori M. Lee, Kawme Mbalia and Britta Lundin, as well as expanding their deals with authors like Rick Riordan and Eoin Colfer to acquire more titles to adapt.
If they went down this path, something huge Disney could do would be to add a Disney+ Collection titled “Based On Books” and include all Disney and 20th Century titles on Disney+, which are based on novels, comics, manga, and picture books etc.
With Disney announcing new adaptations of popular Disney Publishing titles including “Percy Jackson” and “Daughter Of The Deep”, ironically both are written by Rick Riordan. But if Disney wants to expand its horizons when it comes to producing more high quality and popular Disney+ Originals that aren’t based on the Marvel or Star Wars franchises, which is something Disney+ desperately needs as their current track record for scripted originals outside of Marvel and Star Wars is somewhat mixed.
Overall, whether Disney realises or not they are sat on a goldmine of IPs, they could turn into Disney+ Originals if they just contact authors who own the IPs and negotiate a deal. Personally, I would love to see Disney+ do adaptions of “Tristian Strong” and “The Last Fallen Star” since I know nothing about the mythologies they are based on.
What do you think? Should Disney+ Adapt More Disney Publishing Titles?