After the animated Lego film Piece By Piece underperformed at the box office, Universal Pictures has pulled the plug on Pharrell Williams’ According to Variety, the project, which was retitled Golden after a name-change from Atlantis, “did not live up to its developed conceit,” and will be pulled from the studio’s release schedule. Directed by Michel Gondry (Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind), the film would have been released in theaters on May 5 and featured among its cast Halle Bailey, Quinta Brunson, Brian Tyree Henry, Janelle Monáe, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Anderson .Paak, and Jaboukie Young-White.
In a joint statement, Williams and Gondry told Variety, “When all of us got into the editing room, we collectively decided there wasn’t a path forward to tell the version of this story that we originally envisioned. We appreciate all the hard work of the talented cast and crew. While we’re disappointed we can’t deliver this film, we have incredible partners at Universal and will collaborate in a different capacity again soon.” The movie has reportedly cost the studio $20 million in sunk cost, but the studio will absorb the hit instead of releasing it.
In explaining the differences between Golden and Piece By Piece, Pharrell told Empire magazine in November, “Piece By Piece is about my life, whereas Golden is about a neighborhood that I grew up in. I’s a musical expedition set in the summer of 1977 in Virginia Beach. It’s a coming-of-age story about self-discovery and pursuing your dreams, but it’s so much more magical than that. It’s a celebration of Black life, Black culture, and most importantly, Black joy.”
While it’s somewhat disappointing we won’t get to see the completed vision, especially with such a dynamite cast, Pharrell still has other film projects in the works — and everybody already got paid. And hey, even if Piece By Piece bricked at the box office (sorry), it’s still in line to potentially win him an Oscar.