Netflix Drops Meghan Markle's Planned Animated Series: Report

Being a member of a royal family is no guarantee for having all doors opening for you. Case in point: Meghan Markle, wife of Prince Harry and formally known as the Duchess of Sussex, learned that Netflix NFLX has canceled an animated series she was preparing for the streaming service.

What Happened: Last July, Netflix announced it would be pursing Markle’s new family-friendly animated series “Pearl” about a 12-year-old girl who gains personal inspiration from great women in history. This was scheduled to be the second Netflix project from Archewell Productions, the company that Markle and her husband, Prince Harry, set up after stepping back from their royal duties and relocating to Los Angeles. Their first project, “Heart of Invictus,” is now in production.

However, Deadline reported that Netflix has “quietly dropped” the series, which Markle was set to executive produce with David Furnish. No explanation was offered regarding why this series from one of Netflix’s highest profile contributors was being axed.

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What Else Happened: Equally puzzling is why Netflix would jettison an animated production – according to a Reuters report, half of Netflix’s global users were attracted to its animation programming.

The news of the cancellation of “Pearl” comes one week after Netflix signed an agreement with Japan’s Studio Colorido to produce three anime features. Reuters reported the partnership will reportedly include “Drifting Home,” which is slated for a September release, along with Studio Colorido’s “Shashinkan” and “Burn The Witch.”

However, Markle is hardly alone in getting a rejection slip – Deadline reported that Netflix dropped two family-friendly animated series last week that were in production — “Dino Daycare,” and the South Asian-inspired adventure “Boons and Curses.”

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