"Aquamarine" TV Series Lands Disney Pilot Order With Emma Roberts Returning to Guest Star

An Aquamarine television adaptation has officially landed a pilot order at Disney+ and Disney Channel, bringing the beloved mermaid coming-of-age story back to screens nearly two decades after its original theatrical release. Even more exciting for longtime fans, Emma Roberts, who starred in the original film, will return in a guest-starring role, helping bridge the past with a new generation of viewers discovering the story for the first time.

What’s Happening:

• According to Variety, the upcoming pilot is being developed by writer Sarah Watson, best known for creating The Bold Type, with original Aquamarine director Elizabeth Allen Rosenbaum attached to helm and executive produce. 
• The project also brings back producer Susan Cartsonis, who helped bring the 2006 film to life, proving a strong creative link between the original movie and its reimagined television format.
• Emma Roberts’ return is one of the standout elements of the announcement. Roberts, who played Claire Brown in the original film, will reprise her connection to the story in a guest role while also serving as an executive producer on the pilot. Her involvement adds a nostalgic anchor for fans of the original teen fantasy-comedy.
• The pilot’s new story centers on a fresh lead character named Coral, a teenager who relocates to a coastal town only to uncover a deeply buried family secret tied to mermaids and her missing mother. As Coral begins to unravel the truth, she discovers she may have inherited more than she ever imagined, unlocking magical abilities just as mysterious forces from beneath the sea begin to rise.
• The original Aquamarine film, based on the novel by Alice Hoffman, followed best friends Claire (Emma Roberts) and Hailey (JoJo) as they help a mermaid named Aquamarine find love. Though the film received modest reviews upon release, it has since developed a loyal cult following thanks to its early-2000s aesthetic, teen friendship themes, and whimsical take on mermaid mythology.
• Since then, Emma Roberts has built a strong career across both film and television, appearing in projects such as We’re the Millers, Palo Alto, and The Art of Getting By, as well as becoming a frequent collaborator with Ryan Murphy on series including American Horror Story and Scream Queens.
• Writer Sarah Watson brings extensive experience in character-driven storytelling, having created The Bold Type and contributed to Percy Jackson and the Olympians. Meanwhile, Rosenbaum’s directing résumé spans some of television’s most recognizable teen and YA dramas, including Gossip Girl, The Vampire Diaries, Ginny & Georgia, and Dead to Me.
• Disney’s interest in revisiting Aquamarine aligns with its broader strategy of developing TV adaptations of its film library. In recent years, the company has explored pilot and series adaptations of titles like Holes and Witch Mountain, alongside newer development projects such as Coven Academy and Eerie Elementary.
• If the pilot moves forward to series, Aquamarine would join a growing slate of Disney+ and Disney Channel projects aimed at blending nostalgia-driven storytelling with modern YA fantasy themes, reimagining familiar worlds while introducing them to a new generation of viewers.

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