Disney+ To Make Gender-Swapped "Holes" TV Series, Even Though No One Asked For It

Here we go again. Disney+, the master of remakes and live adaptations, has announced a pilot for a new Holes TV series, but this time, they’re gender-swapping the lead. The original book by author Louis Sachar and its beloved 2003 film adaptation have enjoyed their rightful place as cultural staples. However, this reimagining has prompted a resounding "Who asked for this?" from the audience on X (formerly Twitter).

According to a recent report by Variety, the official logline describes the reboot as “a reimagining of the beloved 1998 book from Louis Sachar, [where] a teenage girl is sent to a detention camp where the ruthless Warden forces the campers to dig holes for a mysterious purpose.”

To refresh your memory, the original Holes movie had a young Shia LaBeouf leading an ensemble cast that included a star-studded cast: Sigourney Weaver, Jon Voight, and Eartha Kitt.  There isn’t really info out yet on who’s going to play protagonist Stanley Yelnats, or what their name in the remake will be. 

Twitter users, never ones to hold back, were quick to voice their disinterest.

@Godnadfreedom11: "Why do they do this 😔 I guess they can’t come up with new ideas anymore."

@truestorygrande: “There’s just some things we don’t need — I keep noticing them just reusing their past film ideas bc they were the best back then versus now... we got a National Treasure reboot, then ALL of the live-action remakes lmao.”

@xkitanas: "WHO ASKED FOR THISSS😭😭😭😭."

I agree heavily with @THEPRINCEWIFE's take: "unironically i think Holes is one of the few (YA) stories in which it us important that most of the characters are boys…"

Yes, Disney is constantly gender or race-swapping its beloved characters. The larger issue here is the lack of originality. Disney’s recent track record is more about recycling past successes than creating new ones.

"Name 1 Disney Channel original movie that aired in the last decade that was a massive success (2015-2025)… there isn’t one that ppl watch every year like Twitches or maybe even Camp Rock lol," @truestorygrande added.

And while Holes certainly deserves its place in the pantheon of great YA stories, this reboot raises a critical question: Why not create original stories for young girls and women instead of retrofitting male-led narratives?

It’s also worth noting that this reboot arrives at a time when the appetite for unnecessary reimaginings is...well, nonexistent. The internet has grown weary of the relentless parade of live-action remakes and “modern twists” on beloved classics (looking at you, live-action Snow White). Instead, audiences seem to be begging for fresh, authentic storytelling.

Sure, the Holes pilot has big names attached like Alina Mankin (The Mindy Project), Liz Phang (Yellowjackets), and Drew Goddard (The Martian), but even they can’t garner excitement from Disney fans. 

There’s still a chance Disney+ could pull off a miracle and win over skeptics. But as it stands, the general public doesn’t seem to be interested.

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