Dana Terrace’s next project was always going to be a big deal. The Owl House was one of Disney’s most iconic animated shows in generations, lauded for its stellar characters, nuanced storytelling, and queer themes that pushed boundaries at every turn.
We covered it extensively here at TheGamer, speaking with the creative team, voice actors, and members of the community to delve into exactly how it was brought to life. It was a hell of a journey, and one that came to an end with a trio of extended specials that were able to do the narrative justice in spite of a sudden cancellation. It was amazing to be a part of that process, but now it’s time to look towards the future and what else its creator has in store.
Dana Terrace Is Joining Forces With Glitch Productions
Hot off the heels of announcing her upcoming art book and a showcase at Gallery Nucleus later this year, Terrace announced that she is working on a new show with The Owl House alumni Zack Marcus and John Bailey Owen at Glitch Productions: Knights of Guinevere.
The 2D animated sci-fi psychological thriller follows a very blue – both literally and figuratively, if I had to guess – lead character trapped in a picturesque fairy tale land surrounded by lots of adorable animals, blossoming flowers, and a saccharine sense of whimsy that sadly isn’t possible in the real world. Fittingly then, it’s all a lie.
Terrace seemingly didn’t leave Disney on good terms following the cancellation of The Owl House, but it’s wonderful to see much of that talent come back together for a new show. This Reddit thread goes into deeper detail regarding the reasons for the cancellation, and we’ve also written about it a bunch.
The teaser transitions to a humanoid robotic figure writhing in pain on a metallic bed as she screams in agony, thrashing about, covered in sapphire blood as a trio of tentacles emerges from where her arm should be. All the scientists around her scream in panic, as they likely know if this creature wakes up and gets out, there will be no stopping her. As the teaser comes to a close, we transition back to this false reality as our heroine cracks a smile and appears blissfully unaware of the pain her physical form is currently in.
Known for critically acclaimed shows like The Amazing Digital Circus and Murder Drones, Glitch is no stranger to narratives set in fictional dimensions where characters are trapped and forced to participate in sick experiments without their consent. It’s a compelling premise, with other worlds also present in The Owl House, albeit to a far more wholesome degree.
This tried-and-true concept is ripe for expansion, and Knights of Guinevere seems to be delving further into the macabre that is often gleaned from Terrace’s previous art, but was understandably neutered for a Disney Channel show. Here there is no stopping it, and I can’t wait to see what that will entail.
If you want a greater idea of Terrace’s work beyond The Owl House, I recommend you check out her Tumblr page which is home to several fascinating sketches and illustrations.
I Cannot Wait To See The Owl House Creator Go Independent
One of the reasons shows like Gravity Falls, The Owl House, and Amphibia attracted so many passionate fans is the fact that, despite being primarily made for young audiences, all understand the appeal they hold regardless of demographic. If you have deep characters in a vast and complicated world embarking on adventures worth caring about, the quality will speak for itself. Again and again, this has been proven true, and years from now we will look back on shows like this as bona fide classics. It’s why I cover them, touching on themes of grief, found family, queerness, and generational trauma, because it offers up those ideas and explores them without treating the viewers like idiots.
If Dana Terrace, John Bailey Owen, and Zack Marcus could achieve this under the weight of a corporation like Disney and still have stories and characters shine through, just picture the possibilities when Glitch Productions allows them to run wild. I’ve always been drawn to how Terrace combines the unsettlingly macabre with deeper emotion, and how exposing most of the flesh that makes us human is the gateway to true understanding. There is beauty inside the broken, and we owe it to ourselves to explore how far that philosophy might go. To know that mindset is going to be unrestrained is so exciting, and from its teaser alone it’s clear that Knights of Guinevere is going to explore what it means to be alive.
Knowing this, Glitch Productions is the perfect home for Dana Terrace. Many of its existing shows appeal to audiences young and old alike, presenting stories that are easy enough to enjoy on the surface, but dig even the slightest bit deeper, and you’ll be met with something incredibly nuanced and contemplative. It understands how to market its shows to massive audiences, sell merchandise to fund production and creators, and allow people to take the time needed to make sure something is perfect for unleashing it onto the world.
Knights of Guinevere is hoping to release its pilot in 2025, but considering how long animation takes, Glitch is making no promises. I’m glad, because creators like Dana Terrace deserve a hell of a lot more than corporations stifling their creative ambitions at every turn.