Disney+ made an announcement that thrilled fans back in November 2021. The adored children’s books, The Spiderwick Chronicles, authored by Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black, are being turned into a live-action original series with the same name! The series by DiTerlizzi and Black contains five books – The Field Guide, The Seeing Stone, Lucinda’s Secret, The Ironwood Tree, and The Wrath of Mulgarath. The original novels also had a spin-off series based on it, titled Beyond the Spiderwick Chronicles. The spin-off consists of three novels – The Nixie’s Song, A Giant Problem, and The Wyrm King.

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The news that the streamer would adapt the novels into a series was met with significantly positive reactions. Those who had grown up with the adventures detailed in The Spiderwick Chronicles were over the moon. “My inner child is buzzing,” said an eager fan on Twitter, responding to the news.

Although Disney made the announcement quite a few months ago, exact details regarding the series have been kept under wraps. However, we have put together all information that has been made available about the series for now. Read on to find out!

The Spiderwick Chronicles: The Plot

     Disney+

The Spiderwick Chronicles, being an adaptation, will likely follow the narrative of its source text. In a story of mythical adventure, the series begins with the Grace family moving into their old ancestral mansion. Three children, twin brothers Jared and Simon and their sister Mallory, together with their mother, Helen, then discover that the house may be housing a previously unknown mystery – a faerie realm may exist parallel to their own. With their great-great Uncle having first discovered the secret realm, the family sets off on a thrilling adventure, first making enemies and then friends with the faerie creatures.

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If the adaptation follows a narrative similar to its source, a mythical mystery, parallel universes, and the creatures that inhabit them will become the center of the series. In reading the short description given by Disney, it appears that the fantasy aspect of the series will dominate a significant part of the adaptation. The books, which carried the fantasy theme that Disney has focused on in its announcement, emerged as a reader favorite, and so, if the live-action series follows the same path, it too, may soon become a fan favorite.

Making the initial announcement, Disney described the upcoming series as:

The Spiderwick Chronicles: The Cast

At the time of writing, no official casting announcements have been made despite reports that casting is underway. Since the series still appears to be in the early-production stage, only going into filming in September this year, more details regarding the faces we might see will likely be released in due time. All we know thus far is largely confined to the creative team behind the series.

“Your field guide to a world of fantasy. #TheSpiderwickChronicles, a new live-action Original Series based on the best-selling books, is coming to #DisneyPlus. #DisneyPlusDay”

It has been reported that Aron Eli Coleite will serve as showrunner and executive producer alongside the authors of the original novels, Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black. They will be joined by Jeremy Bell, Ellen Goldsmith-Vein, D.J. Goldberg, and Julie Kane-Ritsch. The series is set to be produced by Paramount Television Studios and 20th Television.

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Deadline reported in May 2022 that Kat Coiro will direct and executive produce the first two episodes of the series. Coiro has previously directed the rom-com Marry Me, starring Jennifer Lopez, and directed and produced six episodes of Marvel’s She-Hulk. She has also worked on famous series such as Modern Family and Brooklyn Nine-Nine.

The Spiderwick Chronicles: Other Details

     Paramount Pictures

This isn’t the first time the series of books have been adapted onto the screen. A film based on the texts aired in 2008 with faces such as Seth Rogen, Nick Nolte, Mary-Louise Parker, Freddie Highmore, and Sarah Bolger. The movie was well-received, with a majority of critics giving it positive reviews. In addition to the film, the novels also released a video game with the same name. The game was made available for Windows, Nintendo DS, Wii, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 2.

Release Date

In February 2022, Disney+ announced that The Spiderwick Chronicles was officially heading into production. “The world of fantasy isn’t so far away,” said Disney. Production for the series is set to take place in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. This is the same location where Disney Plus’ Percy Jackson series is being filmed.

Given that The Spiderwick Chronicles is set to begin filming in September 2022 and is expected to wrap up in January 2023, we can most likely expect to see the series air in mid to late 2023.