When the Russo brothers—Joe and Anthony—announced plans to bring the acclaimed horror title Little Nightmares to television, it felt like a perfect match of blockbuster pedigree and atmospheric gaming. Teaming up with Oscar‑nominated director Henry Selick and producers Dmitri M. Johnson and Stephan Bugaj of DJ2 Entertainment, the duo aimed to translate the eerie world of the original game into a weekly series. The announcement, made in 2017, arrived while the brothers were finishing post‑production on Avengers: Infinity War, scheduled for theatrical release on May 4, 2018.
The Creative Lineup
- Joe Russo and Anthony Russo were slated to develop and serve as executive producers.
- Henry Selick, famed for The Nightmare Before Christmas and Coraline, was attached as the visionary director.
- Dmitri M. Johnson and Stephan Bugaj (DJ2 Entertainment) handled production logistics.
The partnership was touted as a high‑profile marriage of proven blockbuster talent and a cult‑horror game property, a combination that seemed destined for prestige TV success at a time when streaming platforms were aggressively courting genre material.
What the Game Offers
Little Nightmares, created by Tarsier Studios and published by Bandai Namco, debuted in April 2017 on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC (later expanding to Switch and mobile). The title follows Six, a diminutive protagonist clad in a yellow raincoat, navigating a bleak, oversized world filled with grotesque inhabitants. Armed only with a lighter and her wits, Six must survive a series of nightmarish encounters that emphasize scale, tension, and environmental puzzles.
The original release garnered a devoted fanbase, and its haunting aesthetic sparked speculation about potential multimedia extensions—exactly the kind of speculation that fueled the 2017 TV announcement.
Post‑Announcement Stagnation
Despite the excitement, no concrete updates emerged after the initial reveal. By the early 2020s, Henry Selick publicly confirmed he was no longer involved, and the project was listed as canceled on franchise wikis. No network, streamer, or production banner stepped forward to revive the effort, rendering the series an archival footnote rather than an active production.
Concurrent with the stalled TV plans, the Little Nightmares franchise continued to expand:
- Little Nightmares II (2021) shifted focus to a new protagonist while deepening the lore surrounding the Maw and its terrifying denizens.
- Little Nightmares III launched in October 2025 alongside an Enhanced Edition, delivering upgraded visuals and performance tweaks.
- A mobile entry titled Very Little Nightmares joined the catalog, alongside additional DLC, tie‑in content, and smaller expansions that broadened the universe without sacrificing the signature sense of dread.
These releases illustrate how the series evolved from a single atmospheric platformer into a multi‑platform franchise, retaining its core tension of navigating oversized threats while introducing new settings, characters, and mechanical twists.
New Animation: Little Nightmares – Broken Promises
In June 2025, a 13‑minute stop‑motion short titled Little Nightmares – Broken Promises was unveiled, produced in collaboration with El Taller del Chucho. Directed by Sofía Carrillo and Juan Medina, the piece debuted at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival in 2026. The short offers a self‑contained story that honors the original tone, marking the first major new official media released in the universe since the 2017 announcement—effectively filling the void left by the unmade television series.
Current Landscape and Industry Context
The original pitch positioned proven blockbuster talent alongside a distinctive game property at a moment when prestige television was actively seeking genre material. Years later, the absence of updates has cemented the project as a historical curiosity. Meanwhile, the game itself has flourished through sequels, remasters, and the recent Annecy short, providing fans with alternative ways to engage with Six’s unsettling world.
Both the Russo brothers and Henry Selick have continued to pursue high‑profile film and animation projects. The brothers moved on to subsequent Marvel installments and their own production ventures, while Selick has focused on other animated works that echo his signature dark whimsy. No public indication has surfaced that either party will revisit the Little Nightmares television effort.
Cross-Media Collaboration
The unmade Little Nightmares TV series stands as a textbook example of how ambitious cross‑media collaborations can falter despite strong creative foundations. Yet the franchise’s resilience—evident in successive game entries, updated editions, and fresh animation—demonstrates that the core appeal of Six’s harrowing journey remains robust. For now, enthusiasts can experience the world of Little Nightmares on consoles, handhelds, and the occasional festival screen, rather than through weekly episodes that never materialized.
