Cirque du Soleil’s La Nouba at Disney Springs closed forever at the end of 2017, but just before it did, Disney confirmed that a new Cirque du Soleil production was being developed for this theater.

Based around some of Disney's most iconic films, this new show will “draw its inspiration from Disney's heritage of animation,” and will “celebrate Disney’s legacy of storytelling in Cirque du Soleil’s signature way, with a tribute to the one-of a kind craftsmanship that makes Disney so extraordinary.”

Image: Disney

And while this new show was supposed to begin preview performances on March 20th, it was suspended and postponed indefinitely. And with the company racking up nearly $1 billion in debt, and laying off roughly 3,500 employees, many thought the final curtain had dropped on this project before it even had its first show. However, reports seem to indicate that Cirque du Soleil: Drawn to life may actually yet have some life still in it. 

Starting with.... bankruptcy? 

This week Cirque du Soleil officially filed for bankruptcy protection after weeks of rumors while it develops a plan to restart its business amid the pandemic. And while this may initially sound like bad news, the company has said that it expects to resume its resident shows in Orlando as soon as possible, and Cirque du Soleil: Drawn to Life could premiere at Disney Springs as soon as this fall if there are no government regulations in place prohibiting large gatherings later this year. 

In a statement, Cirque du Soleil spokesperson Mélanie Fontaine said "Employees for ‘Drawn to Life’ .. are being kept on temporary leave for the time being to ensure a swift and efficient return as soon as the ban on gatherings is lifted and show operations can resume"