Netflix kills the Bone show as its Original Animation department falls apart.

[An4h0ny]

Netflix kills the Bone show as its Original Animation department pretty much falls apart


Today has not been, on the whole, a great day for streaming service Netflix, which saw its stock price plummet by record amounts earlier this morning in response to a dismal Q1 earnings call. Said call involved founder and co-CEO Reed Hastings admitting that the streaming company missed its new subscriber goals for the quarter, with a strong suggestion that the company might be reaching a saturation point for new subscribers overall. (And if there’s one thing Wall Street hates, it’s stability, instead of ever-rising, increasingly improbable growth; hence reports that Netflix will soon be sniffing out more cash for itself by cracking down on password sharing planet-wide.)

Amidst the chaos, The Wrap released a quieter report this afternoon, one focused on the company’s once vaunted Original Animation department—reporting, among other things, that Phil Rynda, Netflix Director of Creative Leadership and Development for Original Animation, had been let go from the company this week, and that several high-profile animated projects, most notably the much-anticipated animated adaptation of Jeff Smith’s beloved comic series Bone, were dead at the service.

The Bone show is a blow, for sure; fans have been waiting for Smith’s all-ages adventure comic, seemingly a natural fit for animation, to get a worthy adaptation for years. But the report, written by Drew Taylor, also delves into Netflix’s overall treatment of animation creatives, who were once lured to the company with promises of creative freedom, and are now frequently tossed stacks of data to justify the company’s limited advertising for, and support of, its animated shows.

[dr727]

OOF! Phil is a great dude—one of the best I’ve known.

Netflix’s animation (BONE, Midnight Gospel, on and on) was a bright spot amongst a numbers-driven “original content” mill. It could’ve been the spiritual successor to Adult Swim given the staff involved but Netflix never allowed those wings to spread.

[beamish13]

Originally Posted by dr727

OOF! Phil is a great dude—one of the best I’ve known.

Netflix’s animation (BONE, Midnight Gospel, on and on) was a bright spot amongst a numbers-driven “original content” mill. It could’ve been the spiritual successor to Adult Swim given the staff involved but Netflix never allowed those wings to spread.

The House is a phenomenal achievement as well. Wish they had given it a theatrical release

[ps3bd_owner]

Seems like this is just the beginning.

You've made your bed, now lie in it, NF.

[SilverFox84]

I hope it doesn't effect good shows like The Legend of Vox Machina, which I dearly hope there's a season 2

[An4h0ny]

Originally Posted by SilverFox84

I hope it doesn't effect good shows like The Legend of Vox Machina, which I dearly hope there's a season 2

I'm wondering about Dragon Prince and their Avatar deal.

[MifuneFan]

Animated shows can be costly, and time-consuming, and sadly aren't watched enough to justify the costs, so in the grand scheme of things, it's a good business move, as much as it sucks as a fan of such content.

[ps3bd_owner]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

Animated shows can be costly, and time-consuming, and sadly aren't watched enough to justify the costs, so in the grand scheme of things, it's a good business move, as much as it sucks as a fan of such content.

Netflix cutting costs down because their own shows keep failing, their subscription price increase, and the fact they keep releasing weird sh!t that shouldn't have been funded.

For example, the movie "Cuties" who was it intended for? I've seen the trailer and I refuse to watch it. It looks really inappropriate and children should not be part of.. or anyone.

Another example, "He's Expecting" a man who becomes pregnant. Uh, okay, Netflix.

How amazing they once were and where they are now.

[Monterey Jack]

Netflix'll spend $30 mil per episode(!) for the new season of Stranger Things, increase monthly subscription rates to almost $20, yet cry poverty when it comes to an animated series of Bone or a second season of The Dark Crystal.

[An4h0ny]

From the outside it feels like Netflix is this sprawling, weird combination of streaming service, production house and distribution company... and there are not only too many cooks in the kitchen there are TOO MANY KITCHENS.

Is there even a streaming "overlord" in that house that has a complete top-down view of the whole shebang? It sure doesn't seem that way.

It's like they opened the door one day and said "Everything gets a green light!" and now they are realizing that might not have been the best business strategy long term. It got them to where they were a year ago, but those days are over.

[1blufan]

Originally Posted by Monterey Jack

Netflix'll spend $30 mil per episode(!) for the new season of Stranger Things, increase monthly subscription rates to almost $20, yet cry poverty when it comes to an animated series of Bone or a second season of The Dark Crystal.

They are going to offer a cheaper monthly subscription with adds
It's still not going to save them.

I think Elon Musk will make a bid for it soon.

[kong73]

Hope nothing happens with Arcane

[SilverFox84]

Originally Posted by kong73

Hope nothing happens with Arcane

Huh, yeah, that's another one that was great. I also hope they open up and start selling BD's and 4K's of there shows to make some extra cash now because there's a few shows I would like to buy and keep

[s2mikey]

Originally Posted by ps3bd_owner

Netflix cutting costs down because their own shows keep failing, their subscription price increase, and the fact they keep releasing weird sh!t that shouldn't have been funded.

For example, the movie "Cuties" who was it intended for? I've seen the trailer and I refuse to watch it. It looks really inappropriate and children should not be part of.. or anyone.

Another example, "He's Expecting" a man who becomes pregnant. Uh, okay, Netflix.

How amazing they once were and where they are now.

Couldnt have said it better. They are getting very strange and taking the goofball content to new levels of absurdity. "He's expecting"? How so? Yeah, thought so, LOL. . Cue up Family Fued "XXXXXX" sound.

Im close to dumping them as even Stranger Things started to get stupid too and S3 was just weak. And that show is running off into the ding-weeds as far as content goes too. And yeah, Netflix has the balls to recently raise their rates. Dafuq? Im real close to yanking the cord on them. Crazy times.

Originally Posted by 1blufan

They are going to offer a cheaper monthly subscription with adds
It's still not going to save them.

I think Elon Musk will make a bid for it soon.

I hope so - because if he does, he'll clean it up and get it back on track like he's about to with another popular company.

[Dunemoon]

Dropped Netflix years ago due to not liking their original content. Unsurprised, with their current situation.

[Det. Bullock]

God, I hope that at least the remaining Dragon Prince seasons get done.

Originally Posted by ps3bd_owner

Netflix cutting costs down because their own shows keep failing, their subscription price increase, and the fact they keep releasing weird sh!t that shouldn't have been funded.

For example, the movie "Cuties" who was it intended for? I've seen the trailer and I refuse to watch it. It looks really inappropriate and children should not be part of.. or anyone.

Another example, "He's Expecting" a man who becomes pregnant. Uh, okay, Netflix.

How amazing they once were and where they are now.

Cuties was a marketing experiment in seeing how would have Little Miss Sunshine been considered if the marketing was all about the burlesque dance at the child pageant.

They just gave money to arthouse movies without having a clue how to market them in an attempt to gain prestige.

[An4h0ny]

Originally Posted by Det. Bullock

God, I hope that at least the remaining Dragon Prince seasons get done. .

Ditto. I am very emotionally invested in that show.

Current mood =

[Det. Bullock]

Also I hope we get more Inside Job, it would be a real bummer if we don't get any other seasons because some ******* exec thought to throw animation under the bus to make it seem like they are doing something to remedy the money wasted in cheap-ass IP-grabbing live action shows.

[Aclea]

Of course, the real tragedy is that Meghan and Harry's animated series has been cancelled before it even started. If you have tears, shed them for their loss...

[SilverFox84]

Originally Posted by Aclea

Of course, the real tragedy is that Meghan and Harry's animated series has been cancelled before it even started. If you have tears, shed them for their loss...