Disney+ announced today a pilot green light for Witch Mountain, a reimagining of the successful film franchise.
The series is a modern reinvention of the cult classic that takes place in the shadow of Witch Mountain, following two teens that develop strange abilities and discover their sleepy suburb may not be as idyllic as it seems.
Bryce Dallas Howard (Jurassic World Dominion) stars in the leading role as Audrey, Tia’s devoted and loving mother. Her husband died from a mental illness and she tries to reassure a fretful Tia that she shows no sign of following her father’s dark spiral. A warm mama bear type, but like everyone in this town, not everything is as it seems.
Howard is a multi-hyphenate creator who continues to work both on-screen and behind the camera. As an actor, she recently starred in Universal’s Jurassic World franchise and next stars in Matthew Vaughn’s spy thriller Argylle for Apple TV+. Earlier this year, Howard lent her voice to the Star Wars character Yaddle in the animated Disney+ series Tales of the Jedi.
Isabel Gravitt (The Watcher), Levi Miller (Streamline), Bianca “b” Norwood (We Crashed) and Jackson Kelly (Straight Man) have also been cast in the Witch Mountain pilot.
Travis Fickett and Terry Matalas co-wrote the pilot and are executive producers. Augustine Frizzell (Euphoria) will direct and is executive producer on the Disney+ pilot.
John Fox and John Davis of Davis Entertainment are executive producing as well as Gary Marsh. The Disney Branded Television series is produced by ABC Signature, part of Disney Television Studios.
Isabel Gravitt (series regular) plays Tia, a straight-A student who’s regarded by her classmates as “perfect,” although she regards herself as flawed. She’s terrified of failure and is plagued by nightmares and fears that her late father’s schizophrenia is starting to exhibit itself in her. Tia has “hallucinations” in which people around her step outside their living bodies and voice their deepest, darkest fears and desires and rages.
Gravitt is known for her series regular role as Ellie Brannock in Netflix’s hit limited series The Watcher. She made her debut in CBS’s pilot The History of Us and had recurring roles in ABC’s American Housewife and Hulu’s Little Fires Everywhere.
Levi Miller (series regular) will play Ben, a troubled teen who makes ends meet by writing papers for other students but he’s got a hot temper and if he slugs another student, he’ll be expelled. Ben is best friends with Corey, his co-worker at the diner. He’s recently made a troubling discovery about himself, he can force others in his vicinity to move according to his will and there’s something drawing him inexplicably in the direction of Tia.
Miller is best known for his roles in Pan, A Wrinkle in Time and Better Watch Out. Most recently, he was seen in the indie film Streamline, is also starring in Sony’s Kraven the Hunter, and attached to the upcoming British indie Beach Boys.
Bianca “b” Norwood (series regular) will portray Corey, Ben’s closest friend. An outsider with tattoos, Corey is a very mature teen who comes across older than they are. They are one step away from expulsion and puts more care into looking like a My Chemical Romance song that became an anime fan. Corey works at the local diner alongside Ben and is in his circle of trust, but doesn’t appreciate it when he tries to act as their protector.
Norwood most recently starred in the New York Theatre Workshop production of American (Tele)visions. Most recently, they can be seen in the Apple TV+ series We Crashed, as well as the Showtime series Let the Right One In, and can be heard voicing a lead role in the new QCODE fantasy podcast series Birds of Empire.
Jackson Kelly (series regular) is Peter, Tia’s closest male friend. Peter is lovesick on the subject of Tia, but she’s unaware of his charms, and equally unaware of his devotion. But when Tia expresses her concerns about the seemingly impossible happenings around them, she learns that Peter’s observant, cautious nature might be an asset in figuring out the mystery around them.
Jackson has a busy year ahead with the release of his major recurring role in the highly anticipated AMC series Straight Man and Hard Miles. He’s currently starring in the fifth installment of the cult-followed Shudder franchise V/H/S/99.
Disney’s Witch Mountain franchise has included such films as Escape to Witch Mountain (1975), Return from Witch Mountain (1978), Beyond Witch Mountain (1982), Disney’s Escape to Witch Mountain (1995), and Race to Witch Mountain (2009).
Mirko Parlevliet has been reporting on the entertainment industry since 1998 and founded Vital Thrills to cover the latest streaming, movie, TV, and game news.