When Disney finalized its purchase of $71.3 billion worth of Fox assets, they got more than just the X-Men and The Simpsons. The House of Mouse has now subsumed FX, National Geographic, and — perhaps most interestingly — a majority stake in Hulu. With Disney+ set to launch later this year, that means The Walt Disney Company will have two major streaming platforms under its banner. It looks like they’re already figuring out how to leverage those assets, as they’ve announced the first of what is expected to be many project rearrangements as they begin to utilize all their new toys.
The TV adaptation of High Fidelity originally set for Disney+ will now find its home on Hulu. With Disney+ seemingly centered around bigger budget, more family-oriented fare, the move makes a good amount of sense. Nick Hornby’s 1995 novel and Stephen Frears’ subsequent 2000 film adaptation are tales of love and sex set against a backdrop of music snobbery and Top 5 lists; that’s not exactly something that aligns with Monsters, Inc spin-offs and Marvel Cinematic Universe shows.
(Read: 10 Ways Disney Buying 20th Century Fox Could Change the Marvel Cinematic Universe)
Zoë Kravitz is set to star in the new series, which flips the gender roles from the original story. The casting is a bit of a nod to the John Cusack-starring movie, as Kravitz’s mother, Lisa Bonet, played (temporary) love interest Marie De Salle in that film. Created by Veronica West and Sarah Kucserka, the High Fidelity TV series will be executive produced by Kravitz alongside Josh Appelbaum, Andre Nemec, Jeff Pinkner, and Scott Rosenberg of Midnight Radio.
Speaking of the service switch in a statement, the Midnight Radio team said in a joint statement (via The Hollywood Reporter),
“The entire High Fidelity team is absolutely ecstatic about our move to Hulu and incredibly grateful to ABC Signature and Disney+ for being so supportive of the transition. Once Zoë came onboard and the show began to evolve, it quickly became clear we may be best suited for a different home. Everyone involved locked arms to help make this shift to Hulu, which is the perfect platform to reinvent this beloved timeless property.”
Disney is set to reveal more details about Disney+ during an investors presentation on Thursday.