Pharrell Williams' live-action musical based on Virginia Beach childhood is canceled, Variety reports
First, it was the music festival.
And now, it seems, it's a movie.
Less than a week after Virginia Beach pulled its support for hometown celebrity Pharrell Williams' Something in the Water music festival, plans for a Hollywood movie based on the life and career of the hip-hop superstar have been scrapped, according to Variety magazine.
The magazine published an article Friday alleging 'exclusive' Tinsel-town knowledge of the project's termination.
Not to be confused with the animated Lego biopic 'Piece by Piece' that was released this fall in theaters, the movie was set to be a live-action film about Williams' upbringing in 1970s Virginia Beach, and select scenes were filmed in Richmond and Virginia Beach last summer.
The original and working title of the film was 'Atlantis,' and IMBD listed illustrious R&B singer Mary J. Blige, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee and Portsmouth native Missy Elliott and famed rapper André 3000 as cast members.
However, Variety reported the movie had been given a finalized name, 'Golden,' before its cancellation during the editing process when the film's producers and director, Michel Gondry, agreed it 'did not live up to its developed conceit.'
It's the second professional loss Williams has publicly suffered in less than a week.
Virginia Beach ended its support for Something in the Water, scheduled to take place on the Oceanfront in April, after organizers failed to meet contractually obligated deadlines to provide lineup information and the start of ticket sales.
Representatives for Williams did not immediately respond to inquires about the movie Friday.
Colin Warren-Hicks, 919-818-8139, colin.warrenhicks@virginiamedia.com
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