The recent announcement from Netflix that Arrested Development will be leaving the streaming platform on March 14 is just one example of a new trend that has hit the film & tv industry. The last few months have seen more and more streaming platforms and distribution companies offloading some of their original programming.
When Netflix bought the rights to Arrested Development from FOX, they rebooted the show for two new series, which streamed directly on Netflix as ‘Netflix Originals’, although all 5 seasons of the show (including the two newest seasons) are soon to be axed from the platform’s library. Arrested Development isn’t the only victim at Netflix. Two of its original movies: ‘The Inheritance’ and ‘House/Wife’ were set to be released directly on the streaming platform, but Netflix has announced they will not be moving forward with the projects.
Netflix has a complicated history of cancelling popular, and upcoming projects, to the point it has become a running joke on social media. most notably, its original series GLOW, starring Alisson Brie (Community) and Betty Gilpin (The Tomorrow War) was not renewed for a 4th Season back in 2019, despite being one of the platform’s best-received shows by critics and audiences.
It’s not just Netflix that has taken a hatchet to some of its projects. A Batgirl movie was in the works at HBO Max, initially taken on by Joss Whedon, but later handed over to directors Bilal Fallah (Bad Boys for Life) and Adil El Arbi (Rebel). The film went as far as to release promotional material of actress Leslie Grace (In The Heights) in the starring role as Barbra Gordon/Batgirl until HBO Max cancelled the film outright. The Comedy Central series Workaholics was also set to get a feature film on Paramount+, but the streaming platform cancelled the project 5 weeks before filming was due to begin.
There are several influences on the streaming platforms’ decisions to axe original content. One of the largest is financial recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic. The start of the pandemic in 2020 saw a lot of platforms and distributors selling the rights to programming in an attempt to recuperate losses. General cost-cutting is also considered to be part of the reason, parent company Paramount Global has removed content during the merger of its two owned platforms Paramount+ and Showtime, with an estimated saving of $300 million-$400 million.
THR interviewed acclaimed Director Rian Johnson (Knives Out & The Glass Onion) who commented:
“It’s been horrifying. The fact that it’s becoming common practice is terrible and adds to the awfulness. In the history of the business, there has been a constant evolution of horrible things.”
“All you can do as someone who makes stuff is ultimately put your faith in the notion that if you make something, it’s going to find its audience.”
Rian Johnson
Netflix has also announced their newest payment structure, including a lockdown on password sharing. You can find all the information HERE.
