Pharrell Williams’ much-anticipated musical biopic Golden has been scrapped ahead of its planned May 5 release. Directed by Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind filmmaker Michel Gondry, the film was set to explore Williams’ upbringing in Virginia Beach in the 1970s but has now been shelved due to creative differences.
In a joint statement, Williams and Gondry explained the decision to pull the film:
“There wasn’t a path forward to tell the version of this story that we originally envisioned. 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 had already completed filming and featured an impressive ensemble cast, including Halle Bailey, Missy Elliott, Janelle Monáe, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Anderson .Paak, and Quinta Brunson. Billed as a celebration of Black culture and joy, the musical aimed to bring Williams’ coming-of-age story to life with vibrant performances and a nostalgic look at his early years.
However, despite the film’s completion, Universal Pictures—its backing studio—will now absorb an estimated $20 million in production costs.
This isn’t the first time Universal has explored Williams’ life on screen. Last year, its sister company Focus Features released Piece by Piece, a unique documentary that used Lego minifigures to tell the story of the musician’s career.
While Golden may not be moving forward, Williams hinted at future projects with Universal, leaving fans hopeful that another collaboration could be on the horizon.