Disney+ has greenlit a pilot for Witch Mountain and has tapped Bryce Dallas Howard (the Jurassic World films) to star. Isabel Gravitt (The Watcher), Levi Miller (Streamline), Bianca “b” Norwood (We Crashed), and Jackson Kelly (Straight Man) have also joined the pilot’s cast.
Disney+ is moving forward on what they’re labeling a “modern reinvention” of the Witch Mountain film franchise that kicked off in 1975 with Escape to Witch Mountain. Return from Witch Mountain followed in 1978, and then in 1995 Robert Vaughn and Elisabeth Moss starred in a television remake of the 1975 family-friendly film. Andy Fickman’s Race to Witch Mountain with Dwayne Johnson, Carla Gugino, and Alexander Ludwig debuted in theaters in 2009 and rang up $100+ million at the box office.
Executive producers Travis Fickett and Terry Matalas co-wrote the pilot, with Augustine Frizzell (Euphoria) on board to direct. Gary Marsh and Davis Entertainment’s John Fox and John Davis are also attached as executive producers.
Disney+ released the following Witch Mountain character descriptions:
- Bryce Dallas Howard 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.
- Isabel Gravitt as “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.
- Levi Miller as “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.
- Bianca “b” Norwood as “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.
- Jackson Kelly as “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.
