- Disney has ordered a pilot for a reboot of Louis Sachar’s ’90s novel ‘Holes’
- The series will feature a female lead
- It will be the second adaptation of Sachar’s novel, following the 2003 feature movie
If you cast your mind back to high school English class, then you may remember being introduced to Louis Sachar’s 1998 young adult mystery novel ‘Holes’. Now, thanks to Disney Plus, the platform has ordered a pilot meaning a TV reboot of Sachar’s novel could be arriving on one of the best streaming services – but this time with a slight twist.
The Holes TV series will mark Disney’s second reimagining of Sachar’s book, which was initially adapted for a 2003 feature movie starring Shia LaBoeuf, Sigourney Weaver, Patricia Arquette, and Eartha Kitt with a screenplay by Sachar himself. It follows main character Stanley Yelnats, who’s sent to a correctional facility when he’s falsely accused of theft. While he’s serving time, the story unfolds revealing how each of the characters have impacted Stanley’s life through intertwining narratives, all while adhering to the requests of a warden who makes them dig holes for an undisclosed reason.
From what we know so far, the TV reboot will follow the story of Sachar’s novel, but will introduce a female lead who we can guess will assume the role of its original protagonist. According to a report from Variety, the project’s logline reads: “In this reimagining of the beloved 1998 book from Louis Sachar, a teenage girl is sent to a detention camp where the ruthless Warden forces the campers to dig holes for a mysterious purpose.” Disney has yet to reveal which actress will be stepping into the role.
Additionally to the mystery actress in question, Sachar’s name is also absent from the show’s discourse, meaning that we don’t know whether he’ll be contributing to the show’s production. However, Disney has acquired an army of production giants to fit all the pieces of the Holes series into place, starting with writer Anna Mankin (Katy Keene, Lodge 49) who’ll executive produce alongside showrunner and Yellowjackets writer Liz Phang. Drew Goddard (Cabin in the Woods, The Good Place) of Goddard Textiles is another executive producer joining the Holes team, while Walden Media (which produced the 2003 movie) will return to produce the series, and 20th Television will serve as the studio.
With the announcement of the Disney Plus reboot, Holes joins the long lineup of new TV shows that we’re excited to see come to the platform. But despite not having a release date to look forward this is one that’ll certainly stay in the back of my mind until then, and if it can bring Sachar’s book to life in the same way as Percy Jackson and the Olympians did for Riordan, then it could take over as one of the best Disney Plus shows.
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