About a week ago, Netflix formally dropped the Duchess of Sussex’s animated series Pearl. As in, the series was still in development, but Netflix went on a canceling spree, especially within their animation productions. Meghan’s Pearl was not the only project to be canceled by Netflix, but according to the British media, Meghan was the only one affected and Netflix is very mad at her for not completing the series (even though it would have been canceled even if it was completed). Basically, these people have no idea what’s going on in Netflix or within the industry. But they keep guessing! Here’s their latest guess: Meghan and David Furnish (who is producing the series) will try to get another streamer to pick up Pearl. Derp, we said that last week.
Determined Meghan Markle is trying to find a new TV home for her cartoon series, which Netflix axed earlier this month, sources told The Sun. Pearl, which had been the working title for the Duchess of Sussex’s show, has been officially cancelled by the streaming giant in a series of cutbacks. But LA insiders say that Meghan, 40, and her team at production company Archewell do not see the Netflix dump as the end of the road.
Meghan and executive producer David Furnish “are reviewing the project to see where else it could find a home”, according to sources.They will be pitching the series concept to other TV networks and streamers including Apple and Amazon.
The Duke And Duchess Of Sussex’s contract with Netflix allows the couple to sell on any products that the streaming platform turns down. One source told The Sun: “Meghan and Harry will not give up on taking Pearl to the screen. They are determined to not let all the work and creative endeavours put into the idea simply fall away. Netflix has a standard deal with them, typical in Hollywood, allowing them to pitch projects rejected by them to other outlets. This is common practice within TV circles in Hollywood. Apple and Harry already have ties after he appeared on a series about mental health. Disney, whose Plus streaming service is huge, has a relationship with Markle too after she voiced a wildlife documentary.
“Amazon has a significant budget and major players like NBC Universal and HBO would be interested to sit down in front of the Sussexes. You cannot underestimate the interest in them from Hollywood and producers around town.”
Furnish too has connections to many film studios and TV networks. A source added: “After the decommission the team is taking another look at the show concept, seeing what could be tweaked. There was a huge feeling of excitement about Pearl and a hope that its journey is not over. They are not giving up on this project because Netflix said no. David is a respected producer with an enviable contacts book.
It took me about 30 seconds of Googling to find multiple trade paper articles (including this Variety cover story) about how every streamer wants to get more heavily involved in kids’ programming, especially original animated shows for kids. Netflix isn’t the only game in town – Meghan could easily find a home at Hulu, Peacock, Disney+ and basically anywhere. For all of the British media crowing about how “this is the beginning of the end of the Sussexes’ Netflix deal,” they all seem to have a willful blindness about the fact that Harry and Meghan’s Archewell Productions is making the exact kind of content which every streamer wants.
Photos courtesy of Backgrid.
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- ** RIGHTS: ONLY UNITED STATES, BRAZIL, CANADA ** London, UNITED KINGDOM – Meghan Markle attends a Women’s Empowerment reception during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting at the Royal Aeronautical Society, London, UK. Pictured: Meghan Markle BACKGRID USA 19 APRIL 2018 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- ** RIGHTS: ONLY UNITED STATES, BRAZIL, CANADA ** London, UNITED KINGDOM – The Prince of Wales, The Duchess of Cornwall, and The Duke and Duchess of Sussex attend The Prince of Wales’ 70th Birthday Patronage Celebration in the Gardens of Buckingham Palace, London, UK Pictured: Meghan Markle BACKGRID USA 22 MAY 2018 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- ** RIGHTS: ONLY UNITED STATES, CANADA ** Sydney, AUSTRALIA – The Duke of Sussex and Duchess of Sussex watch the wheelchair basketball final, the last event at the Invictus Games 2018 in Sydney. Pictured: Meghan Markle BACKGRID USA 26 OCTOBER 2018 BYLINE MUST READ: Vantagenews / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- ** RIGHTS: ONLY UNITED STATES, CANADA ** Auckland, NEW ZEALAND – The Duke of Sussex and Duchess of Sussex attend a dedication of a 20-hectare site to The Queen’s Commonwealth Canopy. After unveiling the plaque they participated in a welly wanging contest with some local school children. Pictured: Prince Harry, Meghan Markle BACKGRID USA 29 OCTOBER 2018 BYLINE MUST READ: Vantagenews / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- ** RIGHTS: WORLDWIDE EXCEPT IN NETHERLANDS ** London, UNITED KINGDOM – Prince Harry and Meghan, Duke and Duchess of Sussex arrive at the Natural History Museum gala performance of ‘The Wider Earth’ in support of The Queen’s Commonwealth Trust and The Queen’s Commonwealth Canopy. Pictured: Prince Harry and Meghan, Duke and Duchess of Sussex BACKGRID USA 12 FEBRUARY 2019 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
They were also crowing about Pearl was removed from mention on the Archewell site. Like, of course it was– it’s on hold now. The BRF desperate for a “gotcha.”
I guess Meghan and Netflix are not working together anymore to destroy the Monarchy SMH. What’s the next spin, I guess Netflix hate Meghan NOW 😍
So the sky didn’t fall, huh tabloids? Too bad, so sad…..for you guys, not the Sussexes. I think this deal will be huge for Meghan especially when you consider toys, books, even video games. Cheers!
God, that first picture of Meghan in the black dress. I always knew she was pretty, but she is actually a great beauty. Iconic.
I know!! Every time I see her, it reminds me how stunning she is!! She has a beauty that is effortless and stunning at the same time. She has an incredible way in which she carries herself as well!!
I wish we knew where she got that black dress. She looks absolutely divine. Anyways, I just really hope copykeen doesn’t decide to force her own tv show on us.
It’s the Jackie O dress by Black Halo. Retails for around 375 USD and is available at Saks online website.
Yes it’s so beautiful. It was copykeened less than half a year later
Neimans has it in other colors as well too!!
Thanks for the detail! She looks immaculate in that first photo. Her hair, her makeup… she really is radiant.
Also, I looked up that asymmetrical KKKate copied and found a whole article of the times she copykeened Meghan https://www.bustle.com/p/16-kate-middleton-meghan-markle-matching-looks-to-copy-with-friends-22817051 it’s truly embarrassing how little personality and imagination Kate has. It reminds me of Princess Diana’s revenge dress… and the dollar store version Camilla wore
Whew, that article. Thanks for the link @katherine. It’s a perfect example of the erasure we’ve been discussing here. The article talks about them being style twins and the fashion nods they give to each other. But literally every single example in that article is of something meghan wore first. The article should be about how Kate is influenced by Meghan’s style. There is no back and forth reciprocation of style in any of the examples. It’s erasing Meghan’s influence on Kate and labeling it as twinning. That ain’t twinning. It’s called copy keening.
Thanks @Sofia and @BothSidesNow!!! Also $375… 😭😭😭
Some of those comparisons are freaky, but some aren’t…..Kate has had that Tartan McQueen for ages, for example.
@Jais: “It’s a perfect example of the erasure we’ve been discussing here… literally every single example in that article is of something Meghan wore first. The article should be about how Kate is influenced by Meghan’s style.”
^^ Exactly @Jais! That’s what I saw in the article too. You are right that it should have been written differently. But that never happens. Even in books and magazine articles written exclusively about Meghan, there’s always this knee-jerk need by the writers to bring up Kate in a deferential and complimentary way, which is completely annoying and unnecessary. The writers always seem to feel it’s necessary though, and we know why.
Everyone is fixated on Meghan and blown away by Meghan’s style, beauty, accomplishments… but oh, Katie Keen is FFQ and white, so we must bow and pretentiously embiggen her, even though she pales in comparison to Meghan, an authentic woman of substance.
I posted last week that their Netflix deal was a “first look” deal and they were free to take their projects to other streamers and studios if Netflix didn’t want it.
This is basic Hollywood business.
Yes it is. But of course we can always count on the deranged coming out with some ludicrous spins on it!! With their dynamic powerhouse wheel, someone will certainly pick up Pearl without hesitation. They will continue to keep going forward and their projects will continue to increase exposure and they will certainly be a group that people will want to work with. There are many great streaming services that would be willing to pick up Pearl. I would love to see it!!
As for their dig, it’s again all reflection, as they are not tweeting anything with Pearl. They know nothing. As usual.
so if you read the “source” quotes, it all sounds pretty typical – Netflix made a series of cuts, Pearl was a part of those cuts, but now Archewell is free to shop Pearl around which it is doing and apparently we cannot “underestimate the interest” in H&M from other hollywood producers/entities.
But I guess they had to try to make it sound negative and sinister and nefarious.
@Becks: I remember reading in one the reports, about the animation cuts, that Netflix was telling producers to shop their shows to other companies because they were going to axe their animation division
“Cartoon series”
Like that’s derogatory?! I know these 🤡🤡🤡 think they’re delivering a clever insult, but they just come off as stupid and crass.
Anyway, yes, we all knew/know that “Pearl” will find a home on another streaming service. And when it does, it’ll be another winner in the Archewell portfolio.
I hope it’s super successful on another streamer and Netflix finally gets a clue.
I look forward to one day in the near future of watching pearl with my children. I really think it’s going to be incredible.
Yeah! I’ve already been made aware of a few great woman I didn’t know about thanks to Meghan.
I can see Disney+ picking it up. Wherever it goes, I hope it gets picked up. Seems like it could have been a fun show for those in the target audience.
I just don’t get Netflix’s game plan at this point. Irrespective of the Sussexes, it’s like they’re tanking their own platform by cancelling popular shows after two seasons, hiking prices, pulling back on password sharing, and not keeping up with the quality original content the other services are churning out. I suspect Hulu will some day air an 8 part limited series on what ever happened to Netflix.
I’m sure that Meghan and her team will have her choice of offers, if she doesn’t already. It could be that they are carefully screening offers of interest already. LOL! Streaming companies know that Meghan has a built-in, worldwide audience for her projects.
1) Archetypes will be released on Spotify within weeks
2) Harry is not the CEO of BetterUp. The coaches are getting paid, the company just tried to implement a new pay structure that the coaches didn’t like – nothing to do with Harry. He didn’t come up with it, implement it, or advocate for it.
3) Netflix, like any corporation, is going through some challenges and decided to move away from animation, thus firing most of its animation staff and cancelling at least 76 shows in various stages of production. This is extremely common in the entertainment business and had nothing to do with Harry and Meghan personally.
Try again.
I don’t think they were expected to accomplish everything immediately. They were multi-year deals as I understand it. Basically, they’ve signed up with companies to do stuff over a number of years. I agree that they have bitten off a lot, but nobody knows how slow or fast they are expected to chew. People seem to just want them to bite off and swallow right away.
^^ Yeah, we all know, and anyone in the entertainment industry with a brain knows how much time it takes to produce quality productions. Meghan and Harry stay busy, along with their substantial staff. I doubt they have ‘bitten off more than they can chew’ either. It’s just that a lot has been going on since 2020, including Meg’s miscarriage and her third pregnancy, and her attention divided by the lawsuit against DF/ Mail Online, which she won!
The Sussexes were obviously also working on 2020 Invictus in the Hague (held in 2022), raising their children, making alliances with a variety of organizations and movers-and-shakers. There’s a whole list of things they’ve been doing that are known and unknown, and pretty amazing too if you sit down and try to remember it all.
The British media constantly trying to tear them down and misrepresent the positive things M&H are accomplishing is getting so old, tired, and beyond annoying. Friends and colleagues who know the Sussexes, including high-achieving, substantive people in-the-know, get that the British tabloid press and royal rota are all bs carnival crap x infinity.
I mean, most people were saying this when the news broke but the British press decided to remain willfully ignorant so that they could bash Meghan.
The UK tabloids have been speculating about the Netflix and Spotify deals ever since they were announced back in 2020, and in typical tabloid fashion what they didn’t know they made up. How much was the Netflix deal worth? 100million pounds according to the tabloids, no figure was ever released. Netflix gave the Sussexes 100 million pounds says the tabloids, no company would hand out that amount of money without some sort of return, there would no doubt be some sort of step payments negotiated, therefore Harry and Meghan would receive payments for development costs and staff for both Pearl and Invictus. The cancellation of Pearl was the first official statement from either parties since 2020, all other stories have been noise from the tabloids and so called experts.