A planned Gorillaz movie at Netflix has been scrapped, according to frontman and lyricist Damon Albarn.
Speaking to Stereogum, Albarn confirmed that due to cutbacks at the streaming platform, a planned film starring the fictional band members would not be moving forward. Specifically, Albarn points to the fact that the company was “making too much content and decided to cut back on their movie offerings.”
“Yes,” Albarn said when asked if the film had been permanently suspended. “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names because the whole matter has not yet been settled: the streaming platform for which we were making the film has withdrawn.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.”
A film based on the fictional band had been teased by Gorillaz creators Albarn and Jamie Hewlett for years now. In previous interviews, they have openly discussed a feature-length project, although no real information on what a film might focus on had been discussed. Prior to the film being canceled, Albarn said in a 2020 interview with La Tercera that contracts had been signed and scripts had been written, and that the film was going to be “one hour of pure fiction with music.”
While it’s unknown what the future holds for the project, Albarn’s comments on the man they were working with moving away from Netflix could suggest that the movie has a chanced to be picked up elsewhere. As of now, though, fans will have to tide themselves over with Gorillaz’s latest album, Cracker Island, which is set to debut on February 24, 2023.
