Animation has become a major part of the entertainment world for as long as the medium has existed, and this fact is even more true in the streaming era. Platforms like Hulu, HBO Max, and Disney+ have both housed classic animated projects and created scores of original animated programming. Unfortunately, this doesn’t mean that every planned project using animation is set to arrive on the streaming services. Most recently, Netflix has seemingly confirmed that a planned movie from a beloved franchise won’t be joining its catalogue after all, following its announcement in 2021.
Redwall is a fantasy series of children’s books that tells its story over decades, first beginning in 1986 by author Brian Jacques. Receiving twenty-two books to its name, the franchise was announced in 2021 to receive an animated project that would see Over The Garden Wall creator Patrick McHale helping to bring it to life. In 2022, McHale was no longer linked to the project, leaving many to wonder if the upcoming animated adaptation would still take place. Unfortunately, according to outlet Broadcast Now, the Netflix Redwall film has been cancelled, meaning that we, most likely, won’t be seeing Jacques’ beloved franchise hitting the animated world anytime soon.
What Is Redwall?
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Redwall, for those who might be unfamiliar with the source material, focuses on a world of mice and other woodland creatures taking up arms to fight against the predators of the forest. The synopsis for the first book in the long-running series explains more about the unique universe: “Welcome to Mossflower Wood, where the gentle mice have gathered to celebrate a year of peace and abundance. All is well…until a sinister shadow falls across the ancient stone abbey of Redwall. It is rumoured that Cluny is coming—Cluny, the terrible one-eyed rat and his savage horde—Cluny, who has vowed to conquer Redwall Abbey! The only hope for the besieged mice lies in the lost sword of the legendary Martin the Warrior. And so begins the epic quest of a bumbling young apprentice—a courageous mouse who would rise up, fight back…and become a legend himself.”
In 1999, the book series received an animated series to call its own, running until 2002 before the show was cancelled. While the series did cover some of the stories from the novel series, there was far more material that was never adapted, making it all the more disappointing that Netflix has seemingly cancelled the upcoming movie. While Netflix has yet to officially announce the cancellation, Redwall’s previously announced film had been languishing in limbo for years, so it makes sense to learn that the streaming service was officially not moving forward. Luckily, the original animated series is available to purchase on digital platforms, and the book series remains a big seller within the publishing world.
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Via Broadcast Now
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