Bone: Netflix Cancels Long-Awaited Adaptation of Jeff Smith Comic

Netflix's long-gestating adaptation of Jeff Smith's Bone has apparently been scrapped. The news came courtesy of a new report from The Wrap, which breaks down the recent changes going on behind the scenes at Netflix Animation's Kids & Family division. In particular, it reveals that "several high-profile projects have been unceremoniously canceled" at the streamer, with Bone being among them. The project was first optioned by Netflix in 2019, with the goal of it being adapted into an animated series. In addition to Bone, Netflix's animated adaptation of Roald Dahl's The Twits is reportedly being retooled into a feature film, as well as Lauren Faust's Toil and Trouble. 

Prior to this disappointing news, the most recent update regarding Bone came from a 2021 interview Smith gave to Polygon, with the creator citing the COVID-19 pandemic as one of the reasons for the delay.

"There were a couple of people that worked on some shows that I [asked about]," Smith said at the time., "because I watched a bunch of Cartoon Network shows and some Netflix shows. Is this person around? Can we get this person? What's this guy doing now? Or what's she doing? And thanks to the pandemic, I was able to get everybody I wanted."

"I say thanks because there were people that were in contract, but we were delayed by like, eight or nine months because of the pandemic; [by that time] the contracts were up, and I got everybody I wanted," Smith added. "I don't want to really say who they are, because I don't want to steal Netflix's thunder but, yes. I got my dream team of animation people, and I'm pretty excited about it so far."

Bone follows the cousins Bone, Fone Bone, and Phoney Bone after being cast out of Boneville and into a wider world of magic and adventure. Smith is overseeing the adaptation himself. The Bone comic began publication in 1991 and ran for 55 issues, reaching its conclusion in 2004. The series won 10 Eisner Awards and 11 Harvey Awards.

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