Netflix Cancels Anticipated Animated Movie

Ember, the upcoming animated project from Klaus filmmaker Sergio Pablos, has been cancelled by Netflix. The film is the latest animated title to be cut by Netflix, following Ava DuVernay’s Wings of Fire as well as Antiracist Baby and With Kind Regards From Kindergarten which were all scrapped earlier this year. According to Variety, the decision to scrap Ember — as well as the previously scrapped animated projects — isn’t cost-related and is instead creatively driven.

Per the report, Pablos will retain rights to Ember and can shop the film elsewhere. He previously wrote and directed the Christmas film, Klaus. Netflix’s first original animated feature film, Klaus was praised by critics and was also nominated for the Academy Award for best animated feature. Ember was first announced back in June and is described as an “epic adventure tale of humankind’s quest for fire told through the eyes of young Dikika who embarks on an impossible race to a distant volcano to retrieve the precious spark that will save her tribe.”

What other animated projects have been scrapped by Netflix?

Earlier this year, Netflix scrapped several animated projects, including DuVernay’s Wings of Fire. Back in May, the streamer scrapped that project along with the preschooler-aimed Antiracist Baby, and the film With Kind Regards From Kindergarten. Netflix also scraped the documentary companion to Stamped From the Beginning, titled Stamped: Racism Antiracism and You. Stamped From the Beginning is in post-production and will continue to move forward.

Wings of Fire was originally announced by Netflix in 2021. The project was to be based on Tui T. Sutherland’s children’s books and would have been adapted into a 10-episode series with DuVernay set to executive produce the series which tells the story of dragon tribes in a generations-long battle over lost treasure. Antiracist Baby was based on Dr. Ibram X Kendi’s children’s book of the same name and would have featured a series of animated vignettes set to music. Kendi also wrote Stamped: Racism, Antiracism and You.  With Kind Regards From Kindergarten would have followed the story of two young friends who drift apart when one of them loses their imagination. That project had not been announced prior to being scrapped. In April, Netflix also canceled plans for two other animated projects, the series Dino Daycare and Boons and Curses.

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