Disney is producing yet another reboot – and fans aren’t happy.
Once celebrated for its original storytelling and groundbreaking animation, Disney’s increasing reliance on reboots has left audiences more than slightly unimpressed in recent years.
While each film has its share of fans, the likes of The Lion King (2019) and the controversial upcoming Snow White (2025) have faced endless criticism from some moviegoers over their lack of originality and prioritization of nostalgia and profit over fresh creativity.
That’s why it should come as no surprise that the latest reboot announcement isn’t going over too well with the internet.
Disney Announces ‘Holes’ Reboot
As confirmed by Variety, Louis Sachar’s 1998 novel “Holes” and its 2003 Disney movie adaptation are set to receive a TV series reboot on Disney+.
To differentiate itself from the novel and 2003 adaptation – both of which follow Stanley Yelnats after he’s sent to the correctional desert boot camp Camp Green Lake after being falsely accused of theft – Disney+ is reportedly set to reimagine the story with a female lead.
The upcoming pilot order is penned by Alina Mankin and helmed by showrunner Liz Phang, reimagining the story through the lens of a teenage girl sent to a detention camp. Executive producers include Mankin, Phang, Drew Goddard, and Sarah Esberg of Goddard Textiles, alongside the original film’s producer, Mike Medavoy. Walden Media, which produced the 2003 movie, and rights holder Shamrock are also on board.
Fans React to the News
Backlash to the announcement of Disney’s latest reboot hasn’t been particularly positive. For many fans, the key issue lies in the fact that Disney plans on gender-swapping the story’s characters.
Historically, the Disney community doesn’t respond well to female leads. Case in point: the Star Wars sequel trilogy, The Acolyte and Ahsoka, and all things Captain Marvel in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, all of which triggered outpourings of negativity online and a string of review bombing.
However, some fans have noted that the idea of gender-swapping Holes – in which Shia LaBeouf played the lead in 2003 – specifically doesn’t make sense from a story standpoint. Even if Disney wants to gender-swap an older IP, fans have suggested that there are plenty more properties ripe for a reboot.
it’s so funny to see weird posturing like this bc like.., there are girls in holes… also holes has a sequel that’s partially about a girl that they could just make a film…
it’s so funny to see weird posturing like this bc like.., there are girls in holes… also holes has a sequel that’s partially about a girl that they could just make a film… https://t.co/92ft4I0OlD
— mezz (@blondemezz) January 8, 2025
“The original Holes movie is one of the few truly perfect book-to-movie adaptations in existence, it NEVER needed a reboot!!!” wrote @elrondslilcurls. “How the hell are you going to end up with a Stanley Yelnats IV if Stanley is a GIRL??? tracing his *paternal* family line is like the WHOLE PLOT??”
As @KnightGambit wrote, “I’m all for genderbending roles…..but the #Holes reboot seems pretty redundent. All the girl characters are gonna have the same personalites as the boys in the book/movie.”
Holes is an absolutely perfect movie. It has no flaws. It already has several very cool female characters. It does not need a reboot!
If you must reboot things, why not reboot things that suck so we can have a good version?
Holes is an absolutely perfect movie. It has no flaws. It already has several very cool female characters. It does not need a reboot!
If you must reboot things, why not reboot things that suck so we can have a good version? https://t.co/P3x4vjEgEp
— Sheila Jenné (@jennelikejennay) January 9, 2025
Meanwhile, @nessisnothere wrote, “I’m all for diversifying shit but holes does not need to be gender swapped. it doesn’t need to be reboot either.”
How do you feel about the Holes reboot?
The post Disney’s Gender-Swapped ‘Holes’ Reboot Stirs Furious Reactions From Fans appeared first on Inside the Magic.
