Some of children’s most beloved adventures have always begun with the turn of a page.
As Disney continues transforming bestselling books into its next generation of television franchises, the studio is once again looking to the publishing world for inspiration. This time, it’s heading into the world of secret agents, hidden missions and undercover adventures with a brand-new adaptation of Spy School.
Disney+ is officially developing a series based on Stuart Gibbs’ bestselling novel series, which has sold more than 12 million copies worldwide. The adaptation follows teenager Ben Ripley, whose dream of joining the CIA appears to come true when he is recruited to attend a prestigious science magnet school—only to discover it secretly trains the next generation of intelligence agents.
The series is being written and executive produced by Chris Fedak, the co-creator of Chuck, with Ryan Reynolds’ Maximum Effort also serving as executive producer alongside Gibbs.
The project also continues one of Disney’s biggest storytelling strategies in recent years. From Percy Jackson and the Olympians to upcoming adaptations of Eragon and Animorphs, the company has increasingly turned to beloved published works to build long-running franchises, recognizing that many of today’s most enduring worlds already have passionate readers eager to see those stories brought to life.
Beyond its literary roots, Spy School also arrives as family entertainment appears to be rediscovering another genre that once defined children’s television: spy adventures.
Throughout the late 1990s and early 2000s, espionage stories became a staple of children’s entertainment, blending gadgets, secret identities, globe-trotting missions and larger-than-life villains into adventures that inspired an entire generation of viewers. While fantasy and superhero storytelling have dominated much of the past decade, mystery-driven adventures and spy stories are beginning to quietly make their return, offering young audiences a different kind of hero—one who succeeds through observation, quick thinking and teamwork as much as action.
That makes Spy School particularly exciting. Alongside its action and comedy, the series places curiosity, problem-solving and intelligence at the center of the adventure, continuing a growing trend toward stories where solving the mystery can be just as thrilling as saving the day.
As children’s publishing continues fueling some of streaming’s biggest new franchises, adaptations like Spy School demonstrate that there are still countless stories waiting to leap from bookshelves to the screen. And if recent trends are any indication, the next generation of young viewers may soon find themselves trading magical kingdoms for secret headquarters and hidden missions once again.
Spy School is currently in development for Disney+.