Disney+ has officially pulled the plug on the highly-anticipated TV prequel series to the beloved 90s movie The Sandlot. The series, based on the iconic 1993 film, was initially met with enthusiasm from fans when news of its development surfaced in 2019, as reported by Variety.
However, according to TVLine, the Sandlot series is no longer in the works and has, in fact, been taken off the development roster. The project, which was set to be a TV prequel set in 1984, following the characters from the original 1993 movie, “barely stepped up to the plate.”
The original movie’s director and co-writer, David Mickey Evans, had been tapped to write and executive produce the series. During an appearance on The Rain Delay podcast, David had confirmed his involvement in the project, stating that he had “sold a pitch” for the TV series sequel with plans to “bring all the original cast members back.”
The timeline of when the development ceased remains unclear, leaving fans disappointed about the cancellation of the series that promised to revisit the nostalgic world of The Sandlot. For now, enthusiasts can still relive the magic of the original film by streaming it on Disney+, though hopes for a modern-day Sandlot adventure on the small screen have been dashed.
New Ventures For The Mouse
Disney is set to acquire Comcast’s 33 percent stake in Hulu, making it the sole owner of the popular streaming service. The acquisition is estimated to cost Disney approximately $8.61 billion. However, an appraisal process will be initiated to determine Hulu’s equity fair value as of September 30th. If the value surpasses the guaranteed floor value, Disney will be obligated to pay the difference to Comcast.
The appraisal process timeline remains uncertain, but Disney anticipates its completion sometime next year. This development is an outcome of the 2019 deal between Disney and Comcast, originally scheduled for 2024, to buy Comcast’s one-third stake in Hulu. The minimum valuation agreed upon at that time was $27.5 billion.
Comcast CEO Brian Roberts acknowledged the increased value of Hulu since the initial agreement, stating, “The company is way more valuable today than it was then.” With Hulu’s subscriber numbers experiencing minimal changes last quarter, Disney recently implemented a price hike across its streaming services and hinted at a crackdown on password-sharing. The ad-free Hulu service’s monthly fee rose from $14.99 to $17.99, while Hulu with Live TV increased from $68.99 to $75.99. Further details on Disney’s plans for Hulu are anticipated during the company’s upcoming earnings call.