Steven Spielberg Boards Executive Producer Role for Disney+ Live-Action 'Casper' Series

The friendly ghost is getting a modern makeover. Disney+ has secured a live-action Casper series after winning a five-way bidding battle, with Steven Spielberg attached as an executive producer on the venture.

The project, which remains in early development stages, comes from writers and executive producers Rob Letterman and Hilary Winston, with Letterman also directing. The series aims to offer a contemporary take on the classic ghost story, reportedly incorporating a darker tone reminiscent of the Netflix hit Wednesday.

Universal's UCP division is also involved in the production. The company previously attempted to develop a live-action Casper series for Peacock in 2022, though that iteration never materialized.

The Casper character has enjoyed a lengthy entertainment history dating back to 1945, when the Friendly Ghost first appeared in theatrical cartoons. Harvey Comics introduced the character to the comic book world in 1952 before acquiring the rights in 1959. Since then, Casper has made appearances across video games, television, and film, spanning five animated and live-action movies. The live-action Casper Meets Wendy featured Disney performer Hilary Duff in the role of Wendy.

If the new series progresses to production, it would mark UCP's first project on Disney+, expanding the division's existing presence across Netflix, Peacock, HBO Max, Apple TV, and Hulu.