Disney+ Cancels Live-Action Power Rangers Series from Percy Jackson Showrunners

Disney+ has officially halted development on its live-action Power Rangers series, bringing an abrupt end to a high-profile reboot that was initially set up with sibling studio 20th Television. The high-stakes streaming adaptation, which had brought on board Percy Jackson and the Olympians showrunners Jonathan E. Steinberg and Dan Shotz to write and executive produce, ultimately fell victim to financial hurdles regarding projected production costs.

The ambitious superhero project was originally established at the Disney streamer roughly a year and a half prior to its cancellation, capturing widespread attention in March 2025 when news of the collaboration first broke. Steinberg and Shotz later confirmed their active involvement in the adaptation during a red-carpet appearance in December 2025 at the premiere event for the second season of Percy Jackson and the Olympians. Despite the creative momentum behind the scenes, industry sources indicate that the platform ultimately balked at the substantial financial investment required to mount a top-tier live-action series for a brand owned by Hasbro rather than Disney.

For Hasbro, the shelved Disney+ collaboration marks yet another roadblock in a multi-year effort to bring the iconic tokusatsu-inspired property back to live-action television. The toy and entertainment giant previously attempted to launch a reboot series at Netflix, a venture that featured Daisy Jones and the Six showrunner Jenny Klein working alongside franchise overseer Jonathan Entwistle before that iteration dissolved in the summer of 2024. With both streaming efforts failing to materialize into an active series production, the future direction of the live-action franchise remains uncertain for fans of the long-running property.

Budgetary Hurdles and IP Realities

The core friction behind the cancellation boils down to the economics of streaming television paired with corporate asset ownership. As reported by Deadline, bringing a massive superhero property to life on screen requires a heavy budgetary commitment. Because Disney+ would be funding the production while Hasbro retained the underlying brand rights, leadership ultimately chose to redirect resources toward intellectual properties wholly owned by the house of mouse, mirroring a broader industry shift toward internal asset synergy.

This strategic realignment at Disney+ follows similar high-profile cancellations across the streaming landscape. The Power Rangers shelving comes approximately two months after Amazon dropped its planned Stargate series, which had already secured a formal series order before being scrapped. While Disney+ continues to expand its portfolio with original and acquired intellectual property—including in-development projects based on Ella Enchanted and Casper—the financial equation for Power Rangers proved insurmountable.

Next Steps for Steinberg, Shotz, and the Franchise

Although the Power Rangers universe will have to wait for its next screen incarnation, its architects remain firmly entrenched in the Disney ecosystem. Jonathan E. Steinberg and Dan Shotz are pushing ahead with other high-profile commitments under their overall deal with the studio. Their flagship fantasy adaptation, Percy Jackson and the Olympians season 3, is scheduled to make its Disney+ debut on November 20, following a record-breaking first season and a critically acclaimed second outing that earned a rare 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes.

Meanwhile, the broader Power Rangers franchise continues to exist primarily through alternative media, comics, and its extensive television library. The most recent television entry, Power Rangers Cosmic Fury, released all 10 of its episodes on Netflix in 2023, while the last theatrical film outing remains the 2017 feature directed by Dean Israelite.