Netflix cancels Space Force, Meghan Markle animated series in wake of slow Q1

Workplace comedy Space Force has been cancelled after two seasons

Netflix has cancelled Steve Carell-led comedy Space Force, as well as a pair of animated kids’ shows already in production and development on an animated series from Meghan Markle’s Archewell Productions.

The wave of cancelled projects comes on the heels of a stock market crash that has seen Netflix’s share price dip to below US$200 per share for the first time since 2017.

The streaming giant cancelled Space Force after two seasons. The project, which reunited creators Carell and Greg Daniels for the first time since the US version of The Office, was originally greenlit in early 2019 and debuted in May 2020. The workplace comedy followed a group of people tasked with establishing the sixth branch of the United States Armed Forces.

Boons & Curses, an action-comedy series created by Jaydeep Hasrajani, and dinosaur-focused 3D animated series Dino Daycare, created by Jeff King and executive produced by Chris Nee, will also not go ahead despite the fact both had started production.

Nee, whose other credits include Doc McStuffins and Vampirina, expressed optimism via Twitter that Dino Daycare might find a new streaming or broadcast platform.

“We appreciate this wasn’t an easy decision for Netflix, and that we have the chance to find the show another home,” he said.

Animated series Pearl was created by Markle via Archewell Productions, which was launched by Markle in 2020 to produce a variety of programming including kids’ series, scripted series and factual shows. Markle had been set to serve as executive producer on the project alongside David Furnish.

Netflix said it would continue to work with Archewell Productions on other projects.

The cancellations come as Netflix begins to implement cost-cutting measures across its business following a challenging first quarter in which it lost subscribers for the first time in more than a decade.

Last week, the company laid off several staff at its editorial brand Tudum, a fan website that is designed to serve as an “official companion site” to the main Netflix platform.

In Q1, Netflix lost around 200,000 subscribers globally, though it should be noted that around 700,000 subscriptions were lost when it suspended its service in Russia.

The streaming giant also predicted it will lose a further two million subscribers in the upcoming quarter, attributing the expected losses to a combination of increasing competition, password sharing, and macro factors including slow economic growth and increasing inflation.

Netflix’s market valuation currently stands at US$88.6bn, down from around US$300bn in November.