Disney+ Digs a Hole—and Walks Away: Why the ‘Holes’ TV Series Isn’t Moving Forward

Disney+ has officially dropped its shovel. The long-rumored Holes TV series reboot, a reimagining of Louis Sachar’s beloved novel, is not moving forward despite having a pilot produced and a notable cast attached. For fans of the 1998 book and the iconic 2003 film adaptation the news lands somewhere between disappointment and weary déjà vu. Another nostalgic IP revival bites the dust before it even has a chance to prove itself.

The Holes TV series was positioned as a modern update on the story of kids sent to a mysterious desert detention camp, forced to dig holes all day under the watchful (and shady) eyes of authority figures. This time around, Disney+ opted for a gender-swapped reboot with the lead character reimagined as a teenage girl. The project featured a solid creative team and recognizable talent and yet, after reviewing the pilot, Disney+ ultimately decided not to order the series.

Disney+ is clearly tightening its belt, becoming more selective as it reassesses what kind of content actually moves the needle. Nostalgia alone isn’t enough anymore, even when the source material is as beloved as Holes. The streamer has already scaled back several projects in recent years and this decision fits neatly into that larger pattern.

That said, there’s an irony here that’s hard to ignore. Holes is one of those rare adaptations that actually worked the first time around. The original film balanced humor, darkness and heart plus trusted its audience to handle uncomfortable themes like punishment, power and generational trauma. Rebooting it as a TV series was always going to be a tricky dig. Too faithful and it feels redundant; too revisionist and fans cry foul. Disney+ apparently wasn’t convinced the pilot found the sweet spot.

For fans the cancellation may be frustrating but it’s not entirely shocking. The Holes TV series now joins a growing list of projects that made it deep into development only to be quietly shelved. As for whether the show could be shopped elsewhere? Never say never but don’t start packing for Camp Green Lake just yet.

In the end, Disney+ chose not to dig any deeper. Whether that was the right call or a missed opportunity will be debated by fans and critics alike. One thing’s certain: some stories are harder to remake than they look and this hole just got a whole lot deeper.

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