ABC Studios and Mandeville Films will bring The Hunchback of Notre Dame to the small screen in Esmeralda, a new event series, Deadline reports. The series will be written by Evan Daughtery of Snow White and the Huntsman.
The project is still in development stages and won’t see the light of day for a while, but its news is interesting in that ABC is continuing to draw inspiration from the library of Walt Disney Animation Studios. Once Upon a Time has been a huge success for the network since its 2011 debut, and next month Once Upon a Time in Wonderland will continue that trend with a focus on Alice and friends (though with Jafar fascinatingly centered as the villain). While both Once series are rooted in inspiration from their derivative texts, they have clear influence from Disney Animation’s versions of the stories, with Disney’s ownership of ABC allowing for unique plot devices and character crossovers.
Due to the differing talents and production companies involved, it’s unlikely that Esmeralda will take place in the same Once universe, which opens the floor for just how this show will be presented.
