Netflix Gets One Of The Most Hated Animated Movies Ever Made
The modern Hollywood machine has been harshly critiqued in the last decade or so for an overwhelming lack of creativity and originality. Much to the chagrin of writers, actors, and creative people everywhere, Hollywood often green-lights projects based on brand recognition alone, rather than taking complex characters, compelling narratives, and fresh, original ideas. One shining example of this unfortunate trend is 2017’s The Emoji Movie, which is coming to Netflix on August 8.
A Disaster With Real Talent Behind It
The Emoji Movie was written and directed by Tony Leondis, who previously helmed such animated features as Lilo & Stitch 2: Stitch Has A Glitch, Igor, and the short film Kung Fu Panda: Secrets of the Masters. For the screenplay, Leondis worked alongside writers Eric Siegel and, shockingly, The White Lotus creator Mike White. The film was immediately panned by critics and audiences alike upon release, culminating in a staggering 6 percent critic score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Audiences Cringed From The Initial Announcement
The very moment that The Emoji Movie was announced to the public, audiences everywhere braced themselves for one of the most flat, insufferable, and pandering movies of all time. After all, how could even the most talented writers construct a compelling narrative about smiley faces and eggplants used to convey basic emotions through iMessage?
Still, some people held out hope that the movie would be a surprise hit, especially after the success of 2014’s The Lego Movie, which managed to surpass everyone’s expectations with a similar lack of existing backstory.
The Downfall Of T.J. Miller
Unfortunately, The Emoji Movie couldn’t follow through with the same vigor and has since become something of a laughing stock. The film stars a stacked cast of comedy greats, including Anna Faris, Maya Rudolph, Steven Wright, Jennifer Coolidge, Patrick Stewart, Sean Hayes, and Sofía Vergara.
Controversial stand-up comedian T.J. Miller even blew up his contract with the hit HBO series Silicon Valley to appear in the poorly-received animated venture, leading many to consider The Emoji Movie the beginning of the end for Miller’s now-tattered career.
Questioning Why Netflix Picked This Up
Personally, I find it baffling that Netflix would choose to pick up The Emoji Movie for their streaming library, especially when there are so many classic films and exceptional animated series’ being obfuscated to new fans due to their lack of streaming access.
If you’re an avid reader of Giant Freakin Robot, you likely encounter write-ups each week that argue in favor of shows like Final Space and Infinity Train returning to streaming services. I think we can all agree that we would be much more likely to flock to Netflix if they somehow acquired the rights to something like Coyote Vs. Acme, as opposed to a universally hated animated venture that premiered nearly a decade ago.
Coming Soon To Netflix
While I understand that there are a lot of legal hoops and red tape involved in purchasing the streaming rights to certain content, I just find it difficult to believe that anyone will be interested in pulling up The Emoji Movie when it lands on Netflix on August 8. But who knows, maybe the film will finally find its audience when it hits the streamer, and top the streaming charts on the Netflix top 10.
