The bestselling fantasy franchise returns as an animated television series, with original author Eoin Colfer helping bring the magical world to a new generation.
Disney is bringing one of the world’s bestselling fantasy book franchises to animation. ARTEMIS FOWL, based on the popular novels by Eoin Colfer, has officially received a series greenlight for Disney Channel and Disney+.
The announcement came during the “25 Years of Artemis Fowl” panel at New York Comic Con, where Colfer revealed that his beloved fantasy universe would return to the screen in an entirely new format.
The announcement also arrives during a major milestone for the franchise, as the original Artemis Fowl novel celebrates its 25th anniversary.
Unlike the previous live-action film adaptation, the upcoming television series will use animation to explore the characters, magical creatures, and technologically advanced fairy civilization that helped make the books an international success.
Colfer will serve as an executive producer, giving the original creator a direct role in bringing his fantasy universe to television.
Artemis Fowl Returns With a New Animated Adventure
The animated action-adventure fantasy series follows 13-year-old criminal mastermind Artemis Fowl, a brilliant young genius who discovers that an underground civilization of fairies exists beneath the human world.
However, these are not the harmless magical creatures typically associated with fairy tales.
The fairies of Artemis Fowl are heavily armed, technologically advanced, and capable of defending their hidden civilization against anyone who threatens their existence.
After uncovering their secret world, Artemis develops an ambitious plan to capture a fairy and steal its magic. His motivation is deeply personal, as he hopes to use that power to heal his dying mother and save his family.
The premise puts an unconventional young protagonist at the center of a fantasy adventure that mixes science fiction, mythology, family drama, and criminal strategy.
Rather than following a traditional hero, the story explores a teenage genius whose intelligence and questionable decisions bring him into conflict with a civilization far more powerful than he initially realizes.
The animated format also opens the door to a larger exploration of the franchise’s fantastical environments, magical abilities and memorable characters.
Eoin Colfer Celebrates the Return of His Fantasy Franchise
Colfer expressed his excitement about the project and the creative team bringing his books to animation.
“I am proud and delighted to be part of the formidable team that is putting the ‘Artemis Fowl’ animation on screen. Everyone is so talented and so positive that I feel certain the fairy world is in excellent hands,” Colfer said.
His involvement represents an important part of the new adaptation, particularly for longtime readers who have followed the franchise since its debut.
The original novels developed a detailed mythology surrounding fairy society, its advanced technology and the uneasy relationship between the human and magical worlds.
With a television series, the creative team will have an opportunity to spend more time exploring those elements while introducing new audiences to the franchise.
Disney Assembles an Award-Winning Animation Team
Joining Colfer as executive producers are Ben Juwono and Colleen Evanson, two experienced animation creators with established connections to Disney’s television productions.
Juwono, an Emmy and Annie Award winner, previously worked on Marvel’s Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur and Big Hero 6: The Series.
Evanson’s credits include DuckTales, Monsters at Work and Prep & Landing: The Snowball Protocol.
Together, the executive producing team brings experience in character-driven storytelling, action-adventure animation and adapting recognizable properties for television.
Ayo Davis, president of Disney Kids & Family, emphasized the lasting popularity of the books and the potential of introducing Artemis Fowl to younger viewers.
“For more than two decades, Eoin Colfer’s ‘Artemis Fowl’ books have captivated readers around the world with unforgettable characters, imaginative world-building, and gripping adventures,” Davis said.
“Bringing this beloved franchise to life as an animated series gives us the opportunity to introduce a new generation to Artemis’ world while honoring the longtime fans who have cherished these stories for years.”
A Bestselling Book Series Celebrates 25 Years
First published in 2001, Artemis Fowl quickly grew into a major international fantasy franchise.
Over the past 25 years, the books have sold more than 35 million copies worldwide and have been translated into 48 languages.
The franchise developed a loyal following through its unusual combination of fantasy, science fiction, humor, and morally complicated characters.
Its central character also helped distinguish the series from other young adult fantasy adventures. Artemis is not a conventional chosen hero or magical warrior. He is an exceptionally intelligent teenager whose schemes frequently put him at odds with both humans and supernatural beings.
Disney previously adapted the property into a live-action feature film directed by Kenneth Branagh, which debuted on Disney+ in 2020.
The newly announced animated series marks another opportunity to bring Colfer’s literary universe to the screen, this time through an episodic format.
Artemis Fowl Joins Disney’s Expanding Animation Lineup
The series joins a growing collection of animated programming being developed for Disney+ and Disney Channel.
Disney’s current and upcoming animated slate includes Dragon Striker, Phineas and Ferb, Big City Greens, Messi and the Giants, Kingdom Hearts, Warrior Cats and Journey.
The addition of Artemis Fowl strengthens Disney’s collection of established literary and entertainment franchises being developed into animated television projects.
It also gives the company another fantasy property with an existing worldwide audience and substantial storytelling potential.
With Colfer involved as an executive producer, the creative team will have an opportunity to expand on the source material’s mythology while preserving the clever storytelling and complicated characters that made the books popular.
For longtime fans, one of the biggest questions will be how closely the animated adaptation follows the original novels and whether the series will eventually explore the larger storylines introduced throughout the books.
Additional details about the voice cast, animation style, episode count, and production schedule have not been announced.
ARTEMIS FOWL is coming to Disney Channel and Disney+, with a premiere date to be announced.
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Sean Tajipour
Sean Tajipour is the Founder and Editor of Nerdtropolis and the host of the Moviegoers Society and Reel Insights Podcast. He is also a member of the Critics Choice Association. You can follow on Twitter and Instagram @Seantaj.
