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Disney Shocker: Controversial Gender-Swapped Remake Axed!

Published 7 hours ago3 minute read
Precious Eseaye
Precious Eseaye
Disney Shocker: Controversial Gender-Swapped Remake Axed!

Disney+ has reportedly cancelled its planned TV reboot of the beloved 2003 film, "Holes," at the pilot stage. The series, which was slated to be a gender-flipped adaptation featuring a female protagonist, will not be moving forward after failing to meet the company's expectations. Reports indicate that a pilot was set to be filmed, and a writers' room had been assembled, but the project ultimately did not live up to the streamer's standards.

The cancelled reboot was intended to star Shay Rudolph from "The Baby-Sitters Club" as Hayley, a juvenile delinquent who finds herself at a mysterious desert camp. There, she and other charges would have been forced by a ruthless warden, portrayed by Greg Kinnear ("As Good as It Gets"), to dig an endless series of holes for a sinister, undisclosed purpose. The ensemble cast was also set to include Aidy Bryant ("Shrill"), Flor Delis Alicea ("Otra"), Anire Kim Amoda ("The Penguin"), Noah Cottrell ("The Spiderwick Chronicles"), Iesha Daniels ("Zora and the Zebra"), Sophie Dieterlen ("Team Sports"), Alexandra Doke ("City on Fire"), and Maeve Press ("Everything's Gonna Be Okay").

Behind the scenes, the pilot for the "Holes" reboot was to be directed by Jac Schaeffer, known for "Agatha All Along." Alina Mankin, who wrote for "Lodge 49," was attached as the writer. Liz Phang from "Yellowjackets" was set to serve as the showrunner. Executive producers for the series included Mankin, Phang, Drew Goddard, and Sarah Esberg of Goddard Textiles, alongside Mike Medavoy, who famously produced the original 2003 film. In a previous interview with Collider's Taylor Gates, Medavoy commented on the enduring interest in the original movie, calling it "a tribute to the material and a tribute to the people who made it."

The original "Holes" film, released in 2003, is based on the highly acclaimed 1998 novel of the same name by Louis Sachar. It tells the story of Stanley Yelnats, played by Shia LaBeouf, a descendant of a family plagued by legendary bad luck. Stanley is wrongly accused of stealing sneakers and is subsequently sentenced to hard labor at Camp Green Lake. Despite its name, the camp is depicted as a barren desert landscape, devoid of greenery and water, and populated by venomous lizards. Here, a sadistic warden, portrayed by Sigourney Weaver, compels inmates to endlessly dig holes under the watchful eyes of her assistant Mr. Sir (Jon Voight) and camp counselor Dr. Steve Pendanski (Tim Blake Nelson).

Throughout the narrative, Stanley forms bonds with his fellow inmates and gradually uncovers the hidden, intricate history of Camp Green Lake. The movie also featured notable appearances from Henry Winkler, Eartha Kitt, and Patricia Arquette. Directed by Andrew Davis ("The Fugitive"), the film was a commercial success, grossing $71 million USD against a $20 million budget, and has since solidified its status as a beloved cult classic among audiences.

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