A planned Netflix animated film about iconic virtual band Gorillaz has been scrapped according to frontman Damon Albarn.
The band was created in 1998 by singer-songwriter Albarn and artist Jamie Hewlett and is famously comprised of animated members and a fictional universe presented through music videos.
Albarn teased the film back in 2021, telling Apple Music at the time: “we’re making a full-length Gorillaz film with Netflix,” though the streamer never officially announced the project.
This week, speaking to HUMO (via Stereogum, Albarn confirmed that due to cutbacks early last year at the streaming platform – the film is no longer moving forward. Asked if the film had been shelved, he said:
“Yes. That is to say, and without naming names because the whole matter has not yet been settled: the streaming platform for which we were making the film has withdrawn.
They started to panic because they were making too much content and decided to cut back on their movie offerings. And, as has been classic Hollywood practice for decades, the guy we were working with has moved on to another company.
From then on you have lost your guardian angel, and there seems to be a bad smell hanging on you. Hollywood is quite territorial: if a new guy comes along, he must and will have a different opinion, even if he secretly agrees with his predecessor.”
The ‘angel’ he refers to is possibly Mike Moon who previously oversaw adult animation for Netflix and is now at a new subsidiary of Illumination at Universal.
How far along the project was isn’t clear, nor any indication as to whether the project could be picked up elsewhere. The band is set to release their eighth studio album, “Cracker Island,” this Friday with the album coming about whilst they were working on the now failed feature.
