A recent report from Variety claims that Amazon is set to produce a live-action adaptation of She-Ra, the series starring the unlikely princess from Etheria who wields a magical sword that turns her into a giant buff woman you definitely want to step on you. While I’m not against a new exploration of this universe after the animated series was such a success, it feels like a betrayal of everything the show managed to achieve in terms of characters, narrative, and inclusivity to leave it all behind and pursue a completely new interpretation.
Fans are livid, immediately taking to social media to voice their disapproval over the new project and fear that beloved iterations of Adora, Catra, Bow, and Glimmer will be left behind in favour of weaker versions that lack the character development and identifiable traits that made them so special in the first place. Aimee Carrero, the voice actor of Adora in the show, even took to Twitter yesterday merely to state that “Catradora is canon” - presumably a response to the new announcement and to state that She-Ra will always be a queer show with queer characters regardless of whatever direction Amazon decides to take it in. The big bad is called Horde Prime, so I bet Jeff Bezos saw an evil galactic overlord with such a name and grew a little jealous. Yep, that totally explains all of this.
I’m in agreement with the fans here, having written about the impact of Catradora’s relationship in the past and how before the likes of The Owl House and She-Ra and the Princesses of Power set a new benchmark for queer animation that wasn’t afraid to thrust its two leading heroines into a lesbian relationship that felt earned, meaningful, and integral to the overall narrative. It was a queer story at its heart, with so many thematic elements weaving in tales of self acceptance and the deft exploration of one’s own trauma. Adora and Catra are broken women in many ways, but they repair parts of themselves thanks to the love they find in one another. It rules, you should watch it.
Dreamworks Animation is confirmed to be acting as a producer for the upcoming Amazon show, which I think is what has fans most frustrated. Ever since the animated series concluded in May 2020, the fandom has been holding regular social media campaigns to drum up interest for a film that would continue the adventures of Catra and Adora, potentially building upon the small teases dropped in the fifth season’s final scene. Many of these campaigns have been trending on a global scale, with thousands upon thousands of fans making it clear to Netflix and Dreamworks that demand is here for more She-Ra, although this is purely of the animated variety, which I can perfectly understand given how much it means to young queer people. The show broke boundaries, and it’s a shame this legacy is being thrown aside in favour of a reboot instead of building upon what came before.
Who knows, it could be awesome, but knowing that the relationships between all of these characters will once again need to be established and explored is a worrying thought, and one that is inescapable for veteran fans of the existing canon. The paint is still wet in a number of ways, with discussions amidst the fandom remaining active alongside fanart, fanfiction, and theories surrounding where the show could go next. Turns out it’s going to Amazon, which is a bummer and a half. Perhaps I’m being too negative about this and my personal attachment - I have a She-Ra tattoo so I’m a self-professed Catradora simp - is clouding my judgment before concrete details about this new direction have even emerged.
The show is still in early development, and might not even make it to the lot following this backlash, so we’ll have to wait and see where the cards fall. It’s also unfair to harass original showrunner Noelle Stevenson on Twitter about the recent announcement. While their creative vision was integral to the queer show we know and love, we have no knowledge of the inner situation and whether or not they had any input at all on where She-Ra would go next or if they even want to pursue a film or any form of direct continuation. The people behind the things we love are people too, and it’s important to remember that and not label them as content machines forced to produce stories until we grow tired of them. It’s clear Catra, Adora, and everyone in this universe mean the world to Stevenson, but if they wanted to leave them behind in favour of new projects, we’re in no place to protest that.
She-Ra receiving an animated film to expand upon the romantic relationship between Catra and Adora alongside an Etheria now free from tyranny would be the perfect conclusion for all of this, but I’m increasingly convinced that isn’t going to happen. If it doesn’t I’ll be heartbroken, and knowing these characters will be reimagined by Amazon’s live-action effort when so much untapped potential sits in the animated medium is a crying shame. Fans have a right to be angry and make themselves heard, and I hope Dreamworks Animation will finally take notice of them, but it’s important to respect the original creators and not bring them into a battle they might not want any part in. Please don’t put James Corden in the Amazon show though, just give me this one thing.