29 Years Ago, Disney’s Darkest Saturday Morning Cartoon Finally Ended (And It Needs a Modern Reboot)

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Disney is famous for its many successful animated films, and occasionally, the studio would include surprisingly dark themes. While movies like Fantasia, The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad, and The Black Cauldron were darker than most Disney films, one Saturday morning cartoon stands out as the studio’s most unsettling series. That show ended its run exactly 29 years ago today.

The final episode of Disney’s popular cartoon, Gargoyles, aired on February 15, 1997. In the 78th and last episode, titled Angels in the Night, Xanatos surprisingly helps Goliath and the Manhattan Clan escape a dangerous trap set by John Castaway and the Quarrymen. This not only saves the gargoyles, but also reveals the Quarrymen’s true intentions, leading the city to finally recognize the gargoyles as the heroes they are and fully accept them. While the ending was positive, many fans felt the series ended prematurely.

Gargoyles Made A Major Impact Despite Early Cancellation

As a huge fan of Gargoyles, it’s always a bit sad to remember how the show ended. By the time it was cancelled, it was actually called Gargoyles: The Goliath Chronicles. Disney cut it after the first two seasons didn’t quite live up to what they were hoping for internally. Luckily, ABC stepped in and gave it another chance, but it meant a pretty big overhaul – new writers, a new animation team, and that new title, too.

Sadly, the show was canceled after only 13 episodes. The third season didn’t receive as much positive feedback as the first two, likely because of the many changes made. Out of all the episodes, only the premiere, titled “The Journey” and written by the series creator Greg Weisman, is considered part of the official storyline.

Even though Gargoyles only ran for about two and a half seasons, it remains a popular and influential show. It continues to be loved by its original fans and has gained a new audience thanks to streaming on Disney+. Support from fans has also kept the series alive through things like the high-quality Gargoyles toy line from NECA and the ongoing, well-regarded comic books.

Gargoyles Deserves A Modern Reboot (And One Might Be On The Way)

As a huge animation fan, I truly think Gargoyles is ripe for a revival. Seriously, it holds up so well – kind of like Batman: The Animated Series. What I love is that it wasn’t afraid to get a little mature and dark, and honestly, that kind of storytelling is exactly what we’re craving in animated shows right now. It would be a perfect fit for today’s audience.

Adult-focused animated shows are still popular in 2026, both in movies and on TV, and audiences clearly love revisiting familiar favorites. Disney’s successful revival of X-Men ’97 proves this, and it shares a lot of similarities with Gargoyles – tackling complex themes, featuring exciting action, and telling stories for a more mature audience. Given the success of X-Men, a reboot of Gargoyles has a strong chance of attracting a whole new generation of viewers.

I’m so excited to hear that the live-action Gargoyles reboot is still happening! It’s been a while since we heard anything, and I was starting to worry. It was reported a couple of years ago that Disney was working on it for Disney+, but it’s great to finally get some positive news in 2025. Apparently, Gary Dauberman, who’s writing, producing, and running the show, confirmed they’re still actively developing it. It’s not animated, thankfully, and I’m really hopeful about how it’s shaping up!

Dauberman believes the existing animated series is strong enough to adapt into live-action. He explained that the cartoon is excellent and was the initial draw, making him confident a live-action version could be really successful.

Dauberman acknowledged that adapting Gargoyles into a live-action format will be difficult, but he’s optimistic, stating they’re in discussions with talented individuals. He emphasized they plan to maintain the show’s dark tone and is eager to see the animated series reimagined in live-action. Hopefully, we’ll get to see a live-action version soon.

You can stream Gargoyles on Disney+.

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2026-02-15 23:43