Streaming platform Netflix axed several woke children’s shows about anti-racism that had been in development at the network.
Among the projects were the Ava DuVernay helmed series “Antiracist Baby” and film “Stamped: Racism, Antiracism and You,” which were both written by critical race theory author Dr. Ibram X. Kendi. The animated works were geared towards children as young as preschool age.
Netflix has suffered their first customer loss in a decade, with 200,000 subscribers opting out in the first quarter of the year. The company cut 2% of their staff, including 70 employees out of their animation studio.
According to Variety, the decision to halt the projects was “creative,” rather than cost cutting, and the programming would have been cut “regardless of the company’s slower revenue growth.”
Last month, children’s animated titles “With Kind Regards From Kindergarten,” and DuVernay’s “Wings of Fire” were canned by Netflix. Meghan Markle’s family series “Pearl” was canceled by the streamer in early May.
“Like many girls her age, our heroine Pearl is on a journey of self-discovery as she tries to overcome life’s daily challenges,” Markle described the show in 2021.
“I’m thrilled that Archewell Productions, partnered with the powerhouse platform of Netflix and these incredible producers, will together bring you this new animated series, which celebrates extraordinary women throughout history,” she continued.
The series was part of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s multi-year deal with Netflix in 2020. The royal pair are reportedly filming an “at-home docuseries” in the vein of “Keeping Up with the Kardashians,” to make good on their $100 million deal.
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