Disney’s ‘Love, Simon’ Series Moves to Hulu and Gets a New Title
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Disney has shifted its upcoming “Love, Victor” project to Hulu due to the series’ mature themes, a source close to production told IndieWire. The show, which will focus on a gay high school student’s self-discovery and challenging home life, was originally expected to stream on Disney+, but will now premiere on Hulu in July.
Variety reported that the series’ move to Hulu was due to alcohol use and themes of sexual exploration, which wouldn’t have fit with the family-friendly focus of Disney+. That said, a source close to production told IndieWire that the series’ move to Hulu was due to “general sexual exploration” and stressed that the show’s homosexual content had no impact on the decision. Other factors in the move included underage alcohol consumption and the parent characters’ marital issues, the source told IndieWire.
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“Love, Victor” would’ve been the first Disney+ series that primarily focuses on a gay protagonist. Regardless, the source close to the series’ production added that Disney+ has several shows, including “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series” and “Encore!,” that prominently feature LGTBQ characters.
Regardless, “Love, Victor” isn’t the first project to get moved from Disney+ to Hulu, as the Zoe Kravitz-led “High Fidelity” made a similar shift before its premiere earlier in February. It’s not uncommon for large entertainment companies with multiple television platforms, including Disney, to shift projects around as part of their overarching strategies. The most notable recent Disney example is its FX on Hulu initiative, which moved several projects initially slated to broadcast on FX, including “Devs,” to Hulu, but the Turner adaptation of “Snowpiercer” has shifted from TNT to TBS and back to TNT all before its May 31 premiere.
“Love, Victor” stars Michael Cimino as the titular protagonist. Additional cast members include James Martinez, Ana Ortiz, Isabella Ferreira, and Mateo Fernandez. The series is executive produced by Isaac Aptaker and Elizabeth Berger (“This Is Us”), who also serve as showrunners. Berger also wrote the 2018 “Love, Simon” film, which the upcoming Hulu series will serve as a sequel to. The film was based on the 2015 novel “Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda.”
Variety reported that Hulu has opened a writers’ room to explore a potential second season of “Love, Victor.” Season 1 will include 10 episodes.
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