Disney+ has become synonymous with magical storytelling and beloved franchises, but even the House of Mouse isn’t immune to the harsh realities of streaming economics. While the platform has delivered massive hits like The Mandalorian and Loki, it’s also pulled the plug on some genuinely promising shows that deserved better fates.
Unlike traditional television, where shows could build audiences over time, streaming platforms now demand immediate success or face the chopping block. Bob Iger’s cost-cutting measures have resulted in not just cancellations, but complete removals from the platform – essentially erasing these shows from existence.
For viewers, it’s a frustrating reminder that great storytelling doesn’t always translate to streaming survival. To that effect, the following shows represent missed opportunities, unfinished stories, and creative visions cut short by corporate spreadsheets.
The Acolyte (2024) — Cancelled after one season
The most controversial cancellation in Disney+’s recent history, The Acolyte promised to explore the dark side of the Force in the High Republic era. Despite being Disney’s #2 most-watched show of 2024 with 2.7 billion minutes viewed and featuring compelling performances from Amandla Stenberg and Manny Jacinto, Disney pulled the plug after just one season due to budget overruns (it still underperformed expectations for its cost).
The show’s ambitious scope and diverse cast made it feel like Star Wars for a new generation – which makes its premature demise all the more disappointing.
Drama surrounding the show: The Acolyte received a 79% critics rating on Rotten Tomatoes but became divisive among fans, experiencing review bombing campaigns (audience score became an abysmal 19%).
Willow (2022) — Cancelled after one season
This one felt like a gut punch to fantasy fans. A sequel series to the beloved 1988 film, Willow, brought back Warwick Davis in his iconic role and introduced a new cast of adventurers. It was an epic, imaginative, and modern take on the world George Lucas and Ron Howard created.
The show ended on a massive cliffhanger, setting up a multi-season arc. But just a few months after its finale, Disney canceled the series and, in a truly villainous move, later removed it from the streaming service entirely as part of cost-cutting measures, apparently. Davis himself called the decision “embarrassing,” and honestly, he wasn’t wrong. It was a magical adventure that vanished into thin air.
National Treasure: Edge of History (2022) — Cancelled after one season
This continuation of the Nicolas Cage film franchise follows a young Latina dreamer searching for lost Pan-American treasures and the truth about her family. While it lacked Cage’s manic energy, it was packed with the same kind of historical puzzles and high-stakes adventure that made the movies a hit.
But the treasure hunt was called off after only one season, leaving a map full of unanswered questions, proving that even established franchises aren’t safe from the streaming wars’ brutal mathematics.
The Mysterious Benedict Society (2021) — Cancelled after two seasons
Based on Trenton Lee Stewart’s beloved children’s book, this series about gifted kids saving the world was a visual and narrative treat.
With a whimsical, Wes Anderson-esque style, it followed four gifted orphans recruited by the eccentric Mr. Benedict to go on a dangerous mission. Tony Hale anchored the show with his trademark quirky charm, but the cancellation after two seasons, with so much source material left to adapt, was a puzzle fans couldn’t solve. It was the kind of smart, stylish, family-friendly programming that Disney should ideally have been championing, but here we are.
Big Shot (2021) — Cancelled after two seasons
John Stamos as a hot-headed basketball coach forced to lead a high school girls’ team? Sign us up. Big Shot was a classic fish-out-of-water sports story with a surprisingly deep emotional core. The relationships between the players and Stamos’s tough-but-fair Coach Korn were the highlight. The show tackled real issues like privilege, teamwork, and second chances, but was benched permanently after its second season despite Stamos’s efforts to save it.
The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers (2021) — Cancelled after two seasons
This show had no business being as good as it was. Picking up decades after the original films, it brought back Emilio Estevez (for season one, at least) and introduced a new team of lovable underdogs, the Don’t Bothers, with Lauren Graham and Josh Duhamel leading the charge.
It was charming, funny, and full of heart—a perfect continuation of the beloved hockey franchise, updated for a new generation. The cancellation after two seasons felt like a cheap shot right before the final buzzer. The loss of Emilio Estevez between seasons certainly didn’t help its cause.
Renegade Nell (2024) — Cancelled after one season
Sally Wainwright’s swashbuckling fantasy adventure about an 18th-century quick-witted highwaywoman with magical powers had everything: great performances, gorgeous production values, and an 87% Rotten Tomatoes score.
Framed for murder and forced to flee, Nell Jackson becomes the most feared highwaywoman in the country, thanks to a bit of help from a magical sprite, Billy Blind, who grants her superhuman strength. The show was a critical darling, praised for its wit, action, and gorgeous production values that brought this fantastical tale of an unlikely outlaw to vivid life.
American Born Chinese (2023) — Cancelled after one season
This action-fantasy series based on Gene Luen Yang’s graphic novel starring a powerhouse cast including recent Oscar-winners Michelle Yeoh and Ke Huy Quan, American Born Chinese was a brilliant blend of high-school comedy and mythological action.
Critics loved it. Audiences who found it loved it. But after just one season, Disney+ ended this epic journey (due to low viewership), squandering a huge opportunity for a culturally rich and unique series.
The Muppets Mayhem (2023) — Cancelled after one season
For years, fans have been clamoring for a great Muppets project, and The Muppets Mayhem delivered. The music-focused series from The Goldbergs creator Adam F. Goldberg centered around Dr. Teeth and The Electric Mayhem as they finally tried to record their first studio album.
The show was hilarious, full of incredible music, and bursting with the zany, wholesome, chaotic joy only the Muppets can provide. Its cancellation after one critically acclaimed season is, frankly, uncool and particularly baffling given the enduring popularity of these beloved characters.