Adaptations are in the air, with another series entering early development at Disney+—this time centered on the beloved book series, Animorphs.
Penned by husband-and-wife duo Katherine Applegate and Michael Grant, the series follows a group of teenagers—Jake, Marco, Cassie, Rachel, and Tobias—who discover that Earth is being secretly infiltrated by a parasitic alien race known as the Yeerks.
After encountering a dying alien from the Andalite race—an advanced species locked in a galaxy-spanning war against the Yeerks—the group is gifted with the ability to morph into any animal they touch by absorbing its DNA. Armed with this power, the teens form a covert resistance, fighting to protect humanity while navigating the challenges of everyday life. Along the way, they gain additional allies as the stakes of their mission continue to grow.
The Animorphs series spans an impressive 54 books in its main run, beginning with The Invasion in 1996 and concluding with The Beginning. Told through rotating first-person perspectives, the books offer a layered look at each character’s emotional and moral journey as they grapple with the realities of war. The franchise also expanded beyond the core series with a range of companion novels that further developed its world and lore.
With over 35 million copies sold worldwide, Animorphs remains a powerhouse in young adult science fiction. The series previously received a live-action adaptation on Nickelodeon in the late 1990s, which ran for two seasons but ultimately fell short of capturing the full scope of the source material.
As interest in science fiction and supernatural storytelling continues to rise—and with modern technology now better equipped to bring its ambitious premise to life—Animorphs feels especially well-positioned for a return. With its rich narrative, complex characters, and expansive world, the series stands as a strong candidate for a live-action adaptation that could finally realize its full potential.