A star-studded musical film about Pharrell Williams’ life called Golden has been canned during final editing, with no plans for release.
The project, first named Atlantis, was set to be a blockbuster directed by Michael Gondry featuring Kelvin Harrison Jr., Halle Bailey, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Brian Tyree Henry, Janelle Monáe and other big names. But according to Variety, the plug was pulled after Williams, Gondry, I Am OTHER Chief Creative Officer Mimi Valdes and Gil Netter all got on the same page.
“When all of us got into the editing room we collectively decided there wasn’t a path forward to tell the version of this story that we originally envisioned,” Williams and Gondry told the entertainment outlet in a joint statement. “We appreciate all the hard work of the talented cast and crew. While we’re disappointed we can’t deliver this film, we have incredible partners at Universal and will collaborate in a different capacity again soon.”
The studio Universal Pictures dropped $20 million into making the film, and insiders say Golden was in its early editing stages when it got shelved, though everyone involved had already gotten their paychecks.
Pharrell Williams’ followers who were pumped to catch the musical hitting theaters on May 5 took to social media to share their frustration about the news.
Just this past October, Pharrell Williams struck gold with his LEGO documentary Piece by Piece, snagging rave reviews and award nods, including a pair from the Critics Choice Documentary Awards. Back in June, before Atlantis got its new name, Williams chatted with Variety about what he wanted the film to be.
“This film is about my life and how God is continuing to give me the pieces that put it together — piece by piece — and to have really amazing people along the journey in my constellation,” shared the 13-time Grammy champ. “To all the stars, musically, and all my teachers and everybody who has contributed to this constellation.”
He added, “That project is about the neighborhood that I grew up in until I was, maybe, 10 and what that life was like. It takes place in 1977. I was obviously four years old, so it’s not about my life. It’s a fictional story told in that world, called Atlantis Apartments.”
