After the middling success of “Luck,” Apple TV+ and Skydance Animation agreed that the upcoming “Spellbound” isn’t a good fit as the studios part ways at the end of their contract.
Apple TV+ has been rearranging its content plans in recent weeks, with Skydance Animation the latest on the chopping block. Previously, Sony decided to take “The Afterparty” elsewhere while “High Desert” was canceled after only one season.
According to a report from Deadline, Skydance Animation and Apple TV+ mutually agree that the studio’s animated features don’t fit in with Apple’s content lineup. So, the John Lasseter lead Skydance Animation won’t be renewing its contract with Apple TV+ and is taking “Spellbound” with it.
Skydance Media will continue to work with Apple TV+ on its various movies and television series like “Foundation.” That partnership remains strong and more titles are incoming, like “The Family Plan” with Mark Wahlberg and “Mayday” with Ryan Reynolds.
Skydance Animation previously released a short film called “Blush” and a feature-length animated film called “Luck.” Both offered excellent animation that was compared to Pixar, but did not generate the hype expected from such a project.
Separate reports suggest Skydance Animation has found a home with Netflix, which is where “Spellbound” will now premiere in 2024.
It isn’t clear if Apple intends to pursue a different partnership for feature-length animated films. By contrast, the independent animated film “Wolfwalkers” scored an Oscar nomination, suggesting Apple should keep an eye on the space.
