‘Wednesday’ Meets ‘Charmed’ in Disney+’s Newest Supernatural Teen Drama, According to Creator
Disney+ has launched "Coven Academy," a supernatural teen drama set in New Orleans that follows three witches at an elite magic school whilst a new student named Briar becomes embroiled in a love triangle and uncovers family secrets. Creator Tim Federle has described the series as "Wednesday with witches" and deliberately crafted it to recapture the appeal of beloved supernatural shows from the 1990s and 2000s for a new generation. The show intentionally recreates the formula of series like Charmed, Dawson's Creek and The Craft, which Federle grew up with, aiming to fill a void left by the decline of similar programming on The CW.
The 21-episode first season features a cast mixing established talent—including Tiffani Thiessen and Devon Sawa—with younger actors such as Malina Weissman, Jordan Leftwich and Ora Duplass. The show was originally developed for Disney Channel before moving to Freeform, and features subtle visual homages and casting choices that reference its inspirations without directly recreating them. According to Federle, the series aims to balance the fun, magic-infused storytelling of classic supernatural dramas with a more contemporary approach to production design, music and tone.
- Disney+ supernatural drama "Coven Academy" draws inspiration from classics like Charmed and Dawson's Creek.
- Show deliberately recreates 90s/2000s supernatural drama formula for new generation of viewers.
- Series features mix of established actors like Tiffani Thiessen and younger ensemble cast.
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"Coven Academy" is a new supernatural drama on Disney+ set in New Orleans, centring on three witches at an elite magic school and a new student named Briar who becomes caught up in a love triangle whilst uncovering family secrets. The first season comprises 21 episodes and features a cast combining established talent with younger actors.
The series was created by Tim Federle, who deliberately drew inspiration from beloved supernatural dramas of the 1990s and 2000s such as Charmed and The Craft. Federle crafted the show to appeal to a new generation whilst recapturing the spirit of the supernatural series he grew up with, blending classic storytelling with contemporary production design and music.
Coven Academy addresses a gap in supernatural teen programming, a genre that has declined significantly on American television in recent years. This contrasts with earlier eras when supernatural dramas were more prevalent on mainstream networks.