Disney+ orders new "Aquamarine" pilot series

Twenty years after its theatrical release, the 2006 film Aquamarine is making waves again. Disney+ has officially issued a pilot order for a new series based on the beloved mermaid movie, and the news landed on June 25, 2026. For those of us who track what lands on streaming platforms, this kind of revival is exactly the type of project worth watching closely.

A pilot order rooted in a 20-year-old franchise

The original Aquamarine told the story of two best friends, Claire and Hailey, facing separation when one must relocate with her mother. Their summer takes an unexpected turn when they discover a mermaid named Aquamarine hiding in the rundown pool of a beach club. She has three days to prove that love exists on land, or her father will force her into an arranged marriage. Simple premise, genuine charm, and clearly enough staying power to justify a revival two decades later.

The new pilot takes the story in a fresh direction. A teenage girl named Coral moves to a coastal town and starts uncovering the truth about her mother's disappearance. What she finds changes everything : her mother was a mermaid, and that heritage awakens magical abilities in Coral herself. Secrets buried beneath the ocean surface are rising, and the stakes feel considerably higher than in the original film.

Here is a quick breakdown of the key creative team attached to the project :

• Emma Roberts (Claire in the 2006 film) returns as a guest star and executive producer
• Elizabeth Allen Rosenbaum, director of the original film, is back as executive producer
• Susan Cartsonis, producer of the 2006 movie, also joins as executive producer
• Sarah Watson, creator of The Bold Type, is writing the pilot script

Having the original director and producer on board alongside Roberts gives this revival a genuine sense of continuity. Watson's background in character-driven drama suggests the show could aim for more emotional depth than a straightforward family adventure.

What we know (and what we don't) about the Disney+ series

Pilot orders are exciting, but they come with real uncertainty. No casting announcements beyond Roberts have been confirmed. No production start date has been shared. No release window on Disney+ exists yet. As we keep an eye on the platform's upcoming slate, this project sits firmly in the "watch this space" category.

That said, Disney has strong reasons to move forward. Aquamarine has been available on Disney+ for some time, and the platform's internal data almost certainly shows consistent viewer engagement with the title. Disney's social media teams have also pushed the film regularly over the past few years, which rarely happens without some strategic intent behind it.

The comparison with Wizards of Waverly Place is relevant. That revival leaned into nostalgia while introducing younger characters to anchor the new storyline. The Aquamarine pilot appears to follow a similar playbook : Roberts returns but Coral, a new teenage protagonist, carries the main narrative. It's a smart structure if the goal is reaching both original fans and a younger audience simultaneously.

One open question is whether the show will commit fully to nostalgia or push toward genuinely new territory. Coral's story has enough originality to stand on its own, but the connection to the 2006 film needs careful handling. Lean too hard on callbacks and you risk alienating newcomers. Ignore the source material and longtime fans may feel disconnected.

Disney+, mermaids, and the broader streaming picture

Disney has a long and successful relationship with mermaid stories. From The Little Mermaid to the 2006 original, the mythology resonates across generations. A contemporary live-action series built around mermaid lore fills a gap in the current Disney+ library, particularly for family audiences looking for something beyond animated content.

Disney+ genuinely needs original live-action content for kids and families. That segment of the catalog has been thinner than it should be, and a serialized show with the emotional hooks the pilot premise suggests could become a real anchor title. We follow Disney+'s catalog updates closely, and a well-executed series here would land in a content category that currently underperforms on the platform.

It's also worth noting that Disney has been rethinking how it structures its streaming presence. If you want to understand the broader context around platform strategy and what it means for content availability, the question of whether Disney should merge its apps is worth exploring. Those decisions directly affect how content like this pilot gets distributed and promoted.

While the series moves through development, the original 2006 film is currently streaming on Disney+. It's the ideal starting point before the pilot eventually drops, whenever that turns out to be. We will keep tracking any updates on casting, production timelines, and release dates as they emerge.