Pharrell Williams Cancels Musical Biopic Directed by Michel Gondry

Pharrell Williams has canceled a forthcoming musical biopic about his life, Variety reports. Golden, directed by Michel Gondry and originally set for release on May 5, will no longer see release because “there wasn’t a path forward to tell the version of this story that we originally envisioned,” according to a joint press statement from Williams and Gondry. “We appreciate all the hard work of the talented cast and crew. While we’re disappointed we can’t deliver this film, we have incredible partners at Universal and will collaborate in a different capacity again soon.”

Golden had already been filmed with a star-studded cast of musicians and actors, including Halle Bailey, Missy Elliott, Janelle Monáe, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Anderson .Paak, and Quinta Brunson. A coming-of-age story centered on Williams’ upbringing in Virginia Beach in the 1970s, the musical was to be “a celebration of Black life, Black culture, and most importantly, Black joy,” according to a 2024 interview with Williams.

Universal Pictures, the studio behind Golden, will reportedly absorb roughly $20 million in costs spent on production. Last year, Universal’s sister film distributor Focus Features released Piece by Piece, a quasi-documentary about Pharrell Williams that used Lego minifigures to tell the story of the musician’s life.