Netflix Just Canceled 4 More Projects
Netflix continues to put the hammer down on several of its shows. Variety reported that Netflix has canceled four shows, including a project from Ava DuVernay. The streaming service has canceled a number of projects in recent weeks, even putting an end to Meghan Markle's animated series Pearl amongst several others.
According to Variety, Netflix canceled multiple animated shows including DuVernay's Wings of Fire. Deadline noted that Wings of Fire had been in development with Netflix since 2020. They have also canceled Antiracist Baby, a series, and With Kind Regards From Kindergarten, a film. Both of these projects were geared toward younger audiences. Additionally, the streaming service canceled Stamped: Racism, Antiracism and You, a documentary that was meant to be a companion to Stamped From the Beginning. However, Stamped From the Beginning, a hybrid documentary and scripted project, will still move forward with Netflix.
Christa Starr, Wings of Fire's executive producer, opened up about the show's cancellation on Twitter. She wrote that it was "a shock" to learn about the news, adding, "We had a team of rock stars who were doing an amazing job. We truly loved everything about this show, and are so grateful to all who believed in us." A fan then asked if there was any chance that Wings of Fire could find another home, to which she replied that it isn't out of the question. Starr continued to write that "it would be a shame if all this beautiful work went to waste."
Variety heard from sources at Netflix who have stressed that these recent cancellations were creative decisions. In other words, these shows would have been canceled even if the company wasn't experiencing slower revenue growth. As previously mentioned, these decisions come after Netflix canceled a number of other animated projects, including one from the Duchess of Sussex herself. In early May, it was reported that Netflix would not be moving forward with Markle's animated series Pearl.
The series was set to follow a 12-year-old girl who finds inspiration from various historical figures. Pearl, which was a working title, would have been the first animated series for Markle and Prince Harry's Archewell Productions, the company that they set up at Netflix in the fall of 2020. Even though their animated series was canceled, Netflix is still expected to move forward with their other project, House of Invictus.