Michel Gondry’s “Golden,” a musical biopic, shot last summer, is a long-delayed film inspired by musician Pharrell Williams’ childhood. The cast includes Kelvin Harrison Jr, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Halle Bailey, Brian Tyree Henry, Missy Elliott and Andre Benjamin.
What was turning into one of the more exciting project of Gondry’s career has morphed into a nightmare for the French filmmaker. Variety is reporting that the film has “permanently shuttered” while in post-production.
Originally set for wide theatrical release via Universal Pictures on May 5, the film will now “never see the light of day.” Sources tell Variety that the project has been shut down after “unanimous agreement” from producers and Gondry that the finished product “did not live up to its developed conceit.”
“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 Variety 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.”
“Golden” has a budget of $20M, and Universal is reportedly open to take the monetary hit. How bad must this film be for that to happen? The narrative being framed here is that this isn’t a decision based on tax incentives, ala Zaslav, but rather due to the film being so bad that the creatives involved cannot afford for it to be seen.
Gondry and Williams have been working on the project since 2022, and it was set up to be the filmmaker’s decade-long return to American filmmaking. He had originally described the project as being “personal” and having a “pretty big budget.”
In November, Pharrell offered a “first look” at “Golden” to Empire Magazine. This might end up being the only look we’ll get of the film. The musician went on to describe the film as “magical” and a “celebration of black joy”
Gondry will forever be known as having directed 2004’s “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.” I’m also a big fan of his inventively entertaining 2005 documentary “Dave Chappelle’s Block Party.” His other works include “Human Nature,” “Be Kind Rewind,” “The Science of Sleep,” and “Mood Indigo.” And let us not forget he directed the abysmal ‘Green Hornet.’