“There wasn’t a path forward to tell the version of this story that we originally envisioned.”
Pharrell Williams’ ambitious musical biopic Golden—helmed by Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind directorMichel Gondry – has been officially scrapped just months ahead of its planned May release.
The film, boasting a star-studded cast including Missy Elliott, Janelle Monáe, Anderson .Paak, and Quinta Brunson, was set to explore the Grammy-winning producer’s Virginia Beach origins in a “celebration of Black life, Black culture, and most importantly, Black joy.”
According to a statement from Williams and Gondry, creative differences ultimately derailed the project: “There wasn’t a path forward to tell the version of this story that we originally envisioned.” Universal Pictures, which backed the film, is reportedly eating a hefty $20 million loss in production costs—though Pharrell hints at future collaborations with the studio.
Gondry, known for his surrealist touch, is no stranger to music-driven storytelling. Before stepping into Williams’ world, he crafted the visual odysseys of Dave Chappelle’s Block Party and The White Stripes: Under Great White Northern Lights, as well as game-changing music videos for Daft Punk, Björk, and The Chemical Brothers. His work on Golden might not see the light of day, but fans of the French auteur can still revisit his mind-melting back catalogue for a taste of what could’ve been.
Meanwhile, Pharrell’s life story did make it to the screen in a more unconventional form last year—Piece by Piece, a Lego-animated “quasi-documentary,” gave fans a blocky, brick-by-brick retelling of his career. Whether he revisits Golden in another format remains to be seen, but with Pharrell, reinvention is always on the cards.
