It would be Adam McKay's first film after the phenomenal success of Don't Look Up.
 |
| Image Credit: Netflix |
Netflix recently revealed that it would put the brakes on its original films and be more selective in deciding which projects to pursue. This is also why it is a great surprise that the streaming platform has decided to cancel one of its most anticipated films of 2024, with a stellar cast and the director of one of the most-watched feature films in the history of the platform. The film in question is Average Height, Average Build, and would have been the first movie directed by Adam McKay following the phenomenal success of Don't Look Up, released a couple of years ago. As for the cast, the participation of Robert Pattinson, Amy Adams, Robert Downey Jr., Forest Whitaker, and Danielle Deadwyler has been confirmed. It had all the makings of a hit, so why was it canceled?
On the one hand, there are rumors – unconfirmed – about the possibility that the budget had skyrocketed up to 150 million dollars and that perhaps Netflix was not very convinced of this. Let's not forget that just a few months ago the platform canceled what would have been the most expensive romantic comedy of all time due to its excessive cost, the one which would have featured Penélope Cruz, Scarlett Johansson, and Michael Fassbender in a 130 million project of dollars. On the other hand, official information provided by Deadline indicates that director Adam McKay, who had already written the script, had lost interest in the project and therefore not directed it, which led Netflix to decide to shut everything down. It seems that the director preferred to concentrate his efforts on a film about climate change, but no further details were provided on this matter.
The Hollywood strikes may also have had something to do with the decision to cancel the film, as it was supposed to be shot last summer in Boston, but ultimately wasn't possible due to the actors' strike. Now that it's officially finished, the cast's commitments probably no longer coincided with the production schedule. Which is a shame, because the story was very promising. Average Height, Average Build would have told the story of a serial killer (Pattinson) who hires a lobbyist (Adams) to change some laws that would allow him to get what he wants more easily. Robert Downey Jr. would play a retired police officer who wants to solve the mystery behind the murders.
Source: Deadline