Live-action ‘Casper’ in development at Disney+ with Steven Spielberg producing but there’s a twist
'Casper' is coming back, but in an unexpected way. As per Deadline, Disney+ landed a live-action adaptation based on 'Casper, the Friendly Ghost' after a five-way bidding war. The update is a bit surprising because the project comes from the Universal Studios Group (USG) and is part of an IP outside of Disney's massive ecosystem. If this project goes to series, the beloved character will share the same platform with other famous ghosts like the dog from 'The Nightmare Before Christmas', Zero. This expands the streamer's universe like never before.
Rob Letterman and Hilary Winston are reportedly developing the series and will also be executive producers. Steven Spielberg, who served as an EP for the 1995 Universal movie 'Casper' starring Christina Ricci, will also be involved in the same capacity. Letterman and Winston are set to take up writing duties, while the former will also sit in the director's chair. No plot details have been unveiled as of this writing, but the series has been described as a modern take on the iconic ghost story. Similar to 'Wednesday', the live-action adaptation may offer an edgier take on a fictional story that was mostly portrayed as a comedy. Still in its early stages, the project is a co-production between DreamWorks Animation TV and UCP, a division of Universal Studio Group.
The project has been handed a premium development deal. If a series is eventually ordered, then the show will be USG's first offering on Disney+. Deadline reports that the show potentially being released on Disney+ played a major role in USG's decision in the bidding war. USG already has shows on Netflix, Prime Video, Hulu, and HBO Max. Disney+ is the one platform they have not explored yet, and the friendly ghost could help change that.
Seymour Reit and Joe Oriolo first created 'Casper' for their comic strip back in 1939. The character is a ghost who, contrary to popular supernatural portrayals, prefers being friends with humans rather than scaring them. The uncharacteristic trait soon turned Casper into a pop culture icon. The next decade saw the ghost featured in original animated shorts, produced by Famous Studios. In the 90s, the character made it to the big screen with the superhit 'Casper', where the titular character was voiced by Malachi Pearson. Similar to the movie, the developing series at Disney+ is also expected to use CGI to bring the ghost to life.
