Gargoyles creator Greg Weisman doesn’t buy reports that Sir Kenneth Branagh is attached to direct a film adaptation of the cult-favorite animated series.
The Belfast Telegraph, Branagh’s hometown newspaper, recently reported that the Thor director would helm a feature film based on Disney‘s Gargoyles. The story has since been picked up by other outlets. On Twitter, a fan asked Weisman what he thought about the news. The creator replied, “I’m thinking … that it’s flat-out not true.” Weisman also retweeted a post dismissing the news as “not real.”
Disney’s Gargoyles originally aired for three seasons from 1994 to 1997. The first two seasons aired on first-run syndication. The third and final season aired on ABC starting in 1996 following Disney’s acquisition of the network. The animated series was a moderate success during its initial run, though has gone on to amass a dedicated cult following in the years since. The Gargoyles franchise has also expanded into other mediums, such as comic books and video games.
Previous talk of a Gargoyles movie
Notably, there have been murmurs of a potential big-screen adaptation of Gargoyles for many years now. In mid 2011, Disney tapped G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra screenwriters David Elliot and Paul Lovett to pen the script for a Gargoyles feature film. Acclaimed filmmaker Jordan Peele later pitched his own film treatment to the studio in 2018. However, neither version ultimately came to fruition.
Weisman discussed Peele’s unproduced Gargoyles movie pitch during an interview with ComingSoon in 2022. “The fact that he gave a damn about Gargoyles, knew what it was, knew who I am, was tremendously gratifying,” the creator said. “Nothing really came of it, unfortunately, but I can’t say I wasn’t thrilled by it. It was neat.”
All three seasons of Gargoyles are currently streaming on Disney+.