LOS ANGELES — Exactly two decades after the iconic mermaid comedy swam into theaters, Disney+ and the Disney Channel have officially issued a pilot order for an Aquamarine television sequel series.
In a major win for fans of the 2006 cult classic, original star Emma Roberts is officially attached to the project. The 35-year-old actress will serve as an executive producer and will guest star to reprise her memorable role as Claire Brown.
A New Generation Beneath the Waves
While the series serves as a narrative continuation of the universe established in the original 20th Century Fox film, it will introduce a fresh mystery and a new generation of characters.
According to the pilot’s official logline, the story shifts away from the original beach resort to a new coastal setting:
- The Protagonist: The show centers on a teenager named Coral, who relocates to a quiet seaside town.
- The Mystery: Coral begins unravelling the deep-seated secrets behind her mother’s mysterious disappearance years prior.
- The Twist: In her search for answers, Coral discovers that her mother was actually a mermaid—a revelation that awakens hidden magical powers within herself just as dark secrets beneath the waves threaten to surface.
Casting for the lead role of Coral has not yet been announced, and a full-series greenlight will depend on the production and reception of the pilot episode.
Reassembling the Original Creative Team
Disney is leaning heavily into the creative DNA of the original movie to capture the magic that resonated with audiences in the mid-2000s.
- The Director: Elizabeth Allen Rosenbaum, who helmed the 2006 feature film, is returning to direct the pilot episode and will also serve as an executive producer.
- The Writer: Sarah Watson, acclaimed creator of Freeform’s The Bold Type, is onboard to pen the pilot’s script.
- The Producers: Susan Cartsonis, a producer on the original movie, will executive produce alongside Rosenbaum and Roberts.
The original film, which was loosely based on Alice Hoffman’s 2001 children’s novel, famously launched the early careers of Roberts, pop star Joanna “JoJo” Levesque, and Sara Paxton (who played the titular mermaid, Aquamarine). While JoJo and Paxton are not currently attached to the pilot, the sequel structure leaves the door open for potential future cameos.
The TikTok Revival
Though Aquamarine was only a modest commercial success during its initial theatrical run, it has undergone a massive cultural renaissance in recent years, exploding in popularity as a nostalgic staple on TikTok among Generation Z.
Roberts previously hinted at a desire to revisit the property, noting the sudden resurgence of the movie in modern pop culture.
”What has made me so happy is that Aquamarine has had this other life on TikTok,” Roberts shared in a recent interview. “It has been, no pun intended, resurfacing. People have been coming up to me in a way that I’m like, ‘Do we need to make Aquamarine 2?’ It’s just so funny that I did that movie 18 years ago.”
Disney’s Expanding Pilot Strategy
The Aquamarine order aligns with a broader, revitalized programming strategy at Disney. Over the past year, the company has leaned heavily into testing classic IP through traditional pilot orders rather than handing out straight-to-series commitments.
The mermaid drama joins a growing slate of nostalgic and supernatural YA developments at the house of mouse, which recently includes pilot orders for reboots and adaptations like Witch Mountain and Eerie Elementary.
With production on the pilot expected to commence later this year, fans will soon find out if Coral’s journey can capture the same enduring, sun-drenched charm that made the original a millennial and Gen-Z touchstone.
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