Meghan Markle's animated TV show about a girl on a 'journey of self-discovery' has been dropped by Netflix, reports say. Pearl, a show which had been previously slated for release by the streaming giant, will not be produced after a decision by company bosses.
The Duchess of Sussex was set to be an executive producer for the project, to tell the story of a 12-year-old girl inspired by influential women from history. It is being reported that Pearl is one of a number of projects which Netflix have decided not to move forward with.
It is not thought to be an uncommon move, and Netflix has also recently decided not to move forward with other animated series. Harry and Meghan previously signed a multimillion-pound deal with Netflix in 2020 as part of their organisation Archewell Productions.
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The pair are set to work with Netflix on other projects including a documentary series about the Invictus Games. It comes after it emerged that Netflix had lost 200,000 users over the first three months of this year.
Its share value is said to have cut in half over the past six months as it faces competition from rivals including Disney and Amazon Prime. When Pearl was announced last July, Meghan said: "Like many girls her age, our heroine Pearl is on a journey of self-discovery as she tries to overcome life’s daily challenges.
"I’m thrilled that Archewell Productions, partnered with the powerhouse platform of Netflix, and these incredible producers, will together bring you this new animated series, which celebrates extraordinary women throughout history. David Furnish and I have been eager to bring this special series to light, and I am delighted we are able to announce it today.”
An announcement on the Archewell website, dated July 14 2021, says: “Archewell Productions is creating its first ever animated series with Netflix. Pearl (working title) focuses on a young girl’s heroic adventure as she learns to step into her power and finds inspiration from influential women throughout history.
"Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex will serve as an executive producer of the series alongside David Furnish, Carolyn Soper, Liz Garbus, Dan Cogan and Amanda Rynda."
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