Netflix‘s animation branch is currently undergoing significant cutbacks, joining a growing list of animation departments that have had to contend with staff reductions and project cancellations.
This, as IGN notes, may come as a surprise after the streaming service’s animation sector achieved great success in 2022, even receiving the prestigious best animated feature award for Guillermo del Toro‘s Pinocchio.
As per a recent report by Variety, Netflix has announced the closure of two more movies as part of its animation division downsizing. One of the movies is Escape from Beverly Hills, which will now be available on the open market. Tunga, a film that explores the Shona culture of Zimbabwe, is the second film, and slated to return to the development stage.
Netflix Animation Halts Production On Two Films Due To Workplace Reductions & Staff Layoffs
According to Variety, Netflix's plan to downsize its division includes implementing cuts in the coming weeks, which will likely result in job layoffs. Despite this, the report suggests that the streaming giant remains devoted to a strong lineup of content. The downsizing effort aims to outsource work to external producers, but an exact headcount reduction remains undisclosed.
The animation industry is facing concerns over layoffs and cancellations, with worries about AI technology adding to the unease. Netflix is not the sole studio that has scaled back its animation plans, contributing to the overall sense of apprehension.
In lighter news, many Netflix subscribers and Trekkies were delighted to discover this month that Star Trek: Prodigy, which had previously been granted a second season on Paramount+, but then suddenly canceled, has been rescued by Netflix.
The animated kids series has been acquired by the global streaming platform for the U.S. and a majority of international regions in a collaboration with CBS Studios.
Another upcoming release from Netflix's animation division is Leo, on November 21st. The film showcases Adam Sandler as the voice of a lizard who has been a class pet in a Florida school for several decades. Additionally, the unit recently premiered Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget (a sequel to the 2000 film Chicken Run), on October 14th.
