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ABC taps Once Upon a Time creators to develop ‘Epic’ pilot

By Sarabeth Pollock

ONCE UPON A TIME - "The Song in Your Heart" - In flashback, Snow and Charming make a special wish that Emma will be protected. The result of their wish has the whole kingdom bursting into song which infuriates the Evil Queen. Meanwhile in Storybrooke, the Black Fairy announces her plans to unleash another curse on the town while Emma and Hook prepare for their wedding, on "Once Upon a Time," SUNDAY, MAY 7 (8:00-9:00 p.m. EDT), on The ABC Television Network. (ABC/Jack Rowand)GINNIFER GOODWIN, JOSH DALLAS
ONCE UPON A TIME - "The Song in Your Heart" - In flashback, Snow and Charming make a special wish that Emma will be protected. The result of their wish has the whole kingdom bursting into song which infuriates the Evil Queen. Meanwhile in Storybrooke, the Black Fairy announces her plans to unleash another curse on the town while Emma and Hook prepare for their wedding, on "Once Upon a Time," SUNDAY, MAY 7 (8:00-9:00 p.m. EDT), on The ABC Television Network. (ABC/Jack Rowand)GINNIFER GOODWIN, JOSH DALLAS /
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ABC is rounding out its pilot orders with the addition of a new pilot order from longtime ABC collaborators Adam Horowitz and Edward Kitsis. Horowitz and Kitsis are responsible for Disney’s hit show Once Upon A Time, and according to The Hollywood Reporter the OUAT creators have been tapped to develop a new fairy tale anthology called Epic.

Like OUAT, Epic will follow the same recipe, incorporating other Disney characters to present a reinvented and reimagined world for them to inhabit.

Disney’s massive cast of characters from across all of its properties will give Horowitz and Kitsis an endless supply of new stories to explore. (Remember – Leia and Shuri are both Disney princesses!)

Kitsis and Horowitz have had an overall deal with ABC that was renewed in 2018. Now that Shonda Rhimes is working with Netflix, they are at the top of ABC’s stable of showrunners. In addition to developing OUAT, they also worked on Lost and were the minds behind Apple’s brilliant Amazing Stories.

ABC’s New Show Epic Will Follow Once Upon A Time Premise

Once Upon a Time was centered in fairy tale mythology, borrowing heavily from Disney’s stable of fairy tale characters to create a world where Snow White and Prince Charming’s daughter had been sent to the real world so she would be safe.

Epic could use the same formula to bridge the gap between fantasy and reality, or it could remain rooted in fantasy to take more of a deep dive into worldbuilding with beloved characters. It’s not often that creators have so much latitude to work with established characters, but as Once Upon a Time fans know, Horowitz and Kitsis know how to manage a sprawling cast and make their stories make sense.

Next. Goodbye Snow White's Scary Adventures; Disneyland welcomes Snow White's Enchanted Wish. dark

As it stands, ABC has ordered four pilots for consideration for the fall television season. Naturally, COVID-19 has continued to play a big role in making decisions about new shows, as safety protocols and the ability to film safely now factor into a new show’s viability.

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