Disney Picks Up Animated Adaptation of Coolabi’s “Warrior Cats” Franchise

Disney has picked up an animated adaptation of the global franchise “Warrior Cats,” created and developed by Coolabi, the company announced on Tuesday. The project brings to animation the book series by Erin Hunter that centers on feral cats and the conflicts, alliances, and leadership challenges among multiple clans.

The adaptation is based on the “Warrior Cats” feline book series, which follows the adventures and drama of distinct groups of cats. Deadline reported that the Disney project will translate the franchise’s multi-clan structure into an animated format, though the announcement did not provide additional detail on episode count, production timeline beyond the 2028 target, or creative leadership.

Deadline said the series is scheduled to launch in 2028 on both Disney+ and The Disney Channel. The report framed the move as part of Disney’s continuing push to expand its lineup for family audiences, with the publisher noting that the “Warrior Cats” rollout will land alongside other major children’s and family programming.

In its coverage of the acquisition, Deadline characterized “Warrior Cats” as a global phenomenon and tied the adaptation directly to Coolabi’s ownership of the concept and development. Coolabi is known for managing and developing brand properties, and the Disney announcement indicates that the franchise’s entertainment pipeline will move further from print into screen content under Disney’s distribution.

The agreement also positions the “Warrior Cats” property within Disney’s established channels for reaching children and households. Disney+ and The Disney Channel have distinct audience profiles, but both are designed to support family viewing, and the dual-platform launch suggests an emphasis on broad reach rather than a platform-limited release.

The 2028 release window means the next steps likely include ongoing development work, including script and animation production and promotional planning for both platforms, but the June 18 announcement did not outline those milestones. No premiere date within 2028 was provided, nor did Deadline specify whether the series will debut first on one platform or the other.

For readers of the original novels, “Warrior Cats” has long been built around complex group dynamics, with stories organized around clans and their relationships. The animated adaptation appears intended to carry that premise forward, bringing the franchise’s central themes of community, leadership, and inter-group tensions to a screen format under Disney brand standards and platform requirements.